^^^Hi 

^^^H^H;=:n 

onlttitt 

i               II 

ITS  RELATIO 


TO  THE 


DEVOTIONAL  LIFE 


tihvaxy  of  t:he  trheolo^icd  ^tmimvy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


PRESENTED  BY 

Rufus  H.    LeFevre 

BX'?S7S 
.5.S73 


Contiuct;  It0  3ReIatton 
to  tl)e  Bebotional  Site 


%\ft  SDelJOtional  ^txit& 

The  Christian's  Power     .      .      .     F.  P.  Rosselot 

Bible  Study  and  Devotion      .      H.  A.  Thompson 

Prayer,  a  Means  of  Spiritual  Growth  .     . 

N.  E.  Cornetet 

Selections    from    Devotional    Writings    of 

Madame  Guyon     .     .     .     .     D.  D.  Lotuery 

Love  As  a  Motive M.  B.  Spayd 

Sorrow;  Its  Worth,  Its  Cure     .     J.  A.  Haivkins 

Bible  Doctrine  of  Devotion       .      E.  S.  Boivman 

Christ  Our  Devotional  Example      .      ff.  J.  Zuck 

The  Holy  Spirit  in  the  Devout  Life     .     . 

/.  L.  Kephart 

Conduct;    Its   Relation  to  the   Devotional 

Life J.  T.  SpangUr 

Each  i6mo.  Cloth Fifty  Cents 

Vf.  R.  Funk.  Jittnt  DAYTOM.  OHIO 


"^^  JUN  11  1952    - 

Cont>utt;3ts3K^mtton 
to  tfje  Bebotional  Etfe 


BY 

J.  T.  SPANGLER,  A.M. 

Professor  of  the  Greek  Language  and  Literature 
in  Lebanon  Valley  College 


I 


UNITED    BRETHREN    PUBLISHING   HOUSE 

W.  R.  FUNK,  jtfnt  DAYTON,  OHIO 


Copyright,  190U,  hy 
United  Brethren 
JPi*blithinff  Hotue 
Dayton  Ohio 


ConttnW 


Content0 


I  COXDTJCT  AND  THE  DEVOTIONAL  LiFB 

II  The  Kingdom 

III  The  Nature  of  the  Kingdom 

IV  The  ETHicAii  Nature  of  the  Kingdom 
V  The  Type 

VI  The  Conduct  of  the  Type 

VII  The  Christian  Citizen 

VIII  The  Conduct  of  the  Christian  Citizen 

IX  Conduct  as  Dttty  to  Self 

X  Conduct  as  Duty  to  Others,  to  Society,  to 

God 

XI  Christian  Character 

XII  The  Devotional  Life 

XIII  The  Relation  of  Conduct  to  thb  Devotional 

Life 

XIV  Final  Word 


3-1 


CONDUCT;  ITS  RELA- 
TION TO  THE  DE- 
VOTIONAL  LIFE 


I 

ConDuct  anD  tbt  Devotional  life 

"Conduct  is  the  voluntary  direction 
of  the  powers  and  faculties  to  appro- 
priate ends  in  morals  and  religion."  It 
is  the  life  directed  to  the  good  as  an 
ultimate,  in  conformity  with  the  eth- 
ical ideal.  "Its  task  is  to  fulfill  the 
moral  law,  to  actualize  the  ethical 
ideal,  to  turn  obligation  into  life." 

Man  was  created  for  activity.  His 
physical  make-up  attests  this.  The  de- 
pendence and  action  of  the  parts  of  the 
body  upon  eacli  other  are  indicative  of 
what  the  Creator  intends  man  to  do. 
His  power  of  locomotion  and  the 
mechanism  of  his  body,  instinct  with 
enersry,  mean  that  he  is  to  walk,  run, 

7 


Conttuct 


and  labor.  Withal,  he  might  jet  be  a 
mere  animal;  but  his  erect  posture, 
with  his  brain  in  the  highest  and  best 
location,  furnished  with  avenues  to  the 
objective  world  through  the  physical 
senses,  and  with  a  telegraphic  system, 
in  the  nerves  and  nerve-centers,  that 
ramifies  his  entire  physical  being, 
makes  him  the  paragon  of  God's  crea- 
tures. 

Man's  spiritual  being  is  his  crown- 
ing glory.  It  is  this  that  places  him 
above  the  mere  creature,  and  makes 
him  master  of  his  environment.  In 
consciousness  of  this  the  psalmist  says, 
^What  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful 
of  him?  .  .  .  For  thou  hast  made  him 
but  little  lower  than  God,  and  crownest 
him  with  glory  and  honor.  Thou  mak- 
est  him  to  have  dominion  over  the 
works  of  thy  hands;  thou  hast  put  all 
things  under  his  feet." 

He  is  both  actor  and  master  of  action 
on  the  world's  stage.  He  is  master 
by  virtue  of  his  free  will,  the  dominant 
and  potential  endowment  of  his  per- 


Contiuct  and  t^t  9DebottonaI  JLitt 

sonality,  and  the  indispensable  condi- 
tion of  the  integrity  of  reason  and 
rational  sensibility,  and  all  else  that 
enters  into  personality. 

The  will  is  man's  power  of  self- 
determination.  "In  this,  more  than  in 
anything  else,  the  whole  aggregation  of 
human  endowment  comes  to  its  crown. 
In  it  man  becomes,  in  a  real  sense,  a 
supra-natural  being,  endowed  with  the 
lofty  distinction  of  self-direction,  self- 
dominion,  and  self-rulership  in  the 
presence  of  the  great  realities  of  right 
and  obligation.  He  becomes  capable  of 
character  and  answerable  for  his  con- 
duct, as  he  shapes  that  character  and 
determines  that  conduct." 

He  is  a  weak  man  whose  spiritual 
being  has  been  perverted  and  vitiated 
by  an  abuse  of  the  will,  by  cowardice, 
recreancy  to  trust,  betrayal  of  friend- 
ship and  vacillation  in  moral  purpose. 
Such  a  man  is  also  dangerous  to  the 
good  of  his  fellows.  He  is  more  to  be 
feared  whose  will  is  employed  in  an 
effort  to  gratify  an  inordinate  and  un- 


€ont}nct 


holy  ambition,  or  a  vicious  purpose. 
But  mark  the  strong  and  virtuous  man, 
who  makes  an  impress  on  his  age,  and 
whose  soul  is  open  to  every  good  that 
makes  for  the  growth,  culture,  purifica- 
tion, and  spiritualization  of  his  entire 
being.  He  lives  among  men,  but  his 
aspirations  are  directed  toward  God. 
It  is  he  who  passes  through  life  exert- 
ing ennobling  and  vitalizing  influences 
that  fall  upon  his  fellow-beings  like 
heavenly  benedictions. 

Let  him  but  make  choice,  and  a  proph- 
et's voice  is  heard  in  denunciation  of 
sin  and  vice,  and  in  praise  of  righteous- 
ness; a  Plato  comes  from  his  master, 
and  gives  the  world  a  new  moral  and 
intellectual  uplift ;  an  apostle's  voice  is 
heard  in  Macedonia;  the  morning  star 
of  the  Reformation  shines  in  England ; 
our  country's  father  wins  America's 
freedom;  a  rail-splitter  goes  to  the 
White  House,  and  the  shackles  fall 
from  the  slaves;  a  Jesus  goes  to  Cal- 
vary and  redeems  the  world. 

Thus  we  have  the  second  requisite  of 

10 


Conduct  and  tie  SDebottonal  JLitt 

conduct  in  a  directing,  originative,  and 
creative  will.  "The  whole  fabric  of 
obligation  and  responsibility  is  built 
upon  it."  The  good  will  is  submissive 
to  conscience,  the  moral  vision  of  the 
soul,  and  is  imperative  in  obligation 
to  rectitude  and  duty.  And  so  it  is  the 
"reason  energizing"  in  man's  respon- 
sible activities. 

In  such  activity  inheres  moral  vir- 
tue, which  is  the  "free  and  loving  per- 
formance of  duty" ;  also  the  essence  of 
virtue,  which  is  in  the  good  will,  to- 
gether with  the  implication  of  the  good 
as  an  end.  The  ethically  good  man  is 
he  who  not  only  is  good,  but  who  also 
does  good;  and  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  there  is  no  reality  in  the 
good,  save  as  it  manifests  itself  in  love, 
trust,  and  service  of  a  person. 

Conduct,  therefore,  is  seen  to  be  the 
productive  good  will.  It  aims  at  "ful- 
ness and  richness  of  life,"  at  character. 
As  productive  good  will,  conduct  is  the 
performance  of  duty.  And  there  are 
duties  corresponding  to  all  the  per- 
il 


Conliuct 


sonal  sentiments  of  the  soul,  the  selfial, 
the  social,  and  the  theistic.  Man  owes 
it  to  himself  to  cherish,  foster,  and  de- 
velop the  best  personality  in  the  best 
life ;  he  needs  also  to  help  and  bless  the 
other  man,  to  fulfill  "the  royal  law," 
and  every  obligation  he  owes  to  soci- 
ety ;  he  owes  to  God  all  that  he  is,  and 
is  capable  of, — his  greatest  love  and 
trust,  his  best  service.  "Not  only  relig- 
ious duties,  as  faith  and  love  and  grat- 
itude and  prayer,  but  all  human  duties 
are  owed  to  him.  Here  all  religious 
duties  become  moral  obligations;  and 
all  moral  obligations  become  religious 
duties." 

Conduct,  corresponding  to  the  per- 
sonal sentiments,  has  a  reflex  influence 
upon  the  doer.  He  grows  into  personal 
power  and  character  by  every  respon- 
sible deed  performed  at  the  behest  of 
right,  sympathy,  and  love,  by  the  im- 
perative of  conscience  in  its  discern- 
ment of  that  which  is  ethically  good. 
He  approaches  God  as  he  is  moved  by 
high  motives,  as  he  appropriates  and 

12 


Conduct  ann  t^t  9DebottonaI  JLite 

imitates  the  divine  plan  of  conduct  as 
seen  in  the  divine  ideal. 

The  devotional  life  is  piety,  as  man- 
ifested in  religious  sentiment,  rever- 
ence, devoutness,  and  affection;  and  it 
is  the  performance  of  the  duties  that 
we  owe  to  God,  and  those  performed 
for  the  good  of  mankind  out  of  lives 
that  are  imbued  with  love. 

The  holiness  of  God  forbids  his  fel- 
lowship with  the  unregenerate  soul. 
This  does  not  preclude  his  relationship 
with  man  through  the  God-man,  Jesus. 
It  simply  limits  the  immediate  and  in- 
timate approach  to  him  to  regenerate 
man.  Therefore,  there  can  be  no  devo- 
tional life  apart  from  a  heart  that  is 
pure  and  "void  of  offense  toward  God." 
The  Christian  man  is  in  the  world,  but 
not  of  it ;  and,  as  such,  he  is  "exalted  to 
the  dignity  and  happiness  of  fellow- 
ship" with  God  and  his  Son.  Thus, 
there  can  be  no  devotional  life  apart 
from  the  kingdom  of  God,  the  invisible 
church  in  the  hearts  of  men,  who  have 
been  saved  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and 

13 


ConDuct 


are  on  the  way  to  perfection  in  him. 
Man  enters  the  kingdom  of  God  when 
the  Christian  personality  has  had  a 
"birth  in  a  humanity  which  has  Christ 
in  if  This  "new  principle  of  life  will 
seek  to  realize  itself  in  all  the  activ- 
ities, relations,  and  spheres  of  life." 

"Christianity  supplies  the  divine  and 
sufficient  dynamic  for  the  full  realiza- 
tion of  the  ethical  life"  in  the  person  of 
Jesus  Christ,  the  efficient  force  in  char- 
acter and  life,  and  "the  universal 
bond."  And  the  Christian  conscience, 
illuminated  and  enlightened  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  effects  a  larger,  truer,  and 
clearer  vision  of  the  ethical  life,  and 
greater  inspiration  and  enthusiasm  in 
obedience  to  the  moral  imperative. 

This  is  Christian  ethics,  "the  science 
of  living  according  to  Christianity," 
according  to  the  ideal  Son  of  God  and 
man,  and  in  him,  our  "living  head." 
And  this  is  the  larger  devotional  life 
in  the  kingdom,  the  household  of  God. 


14 


^it  Hmfftiom 


II 

Cfte  CiingDom 

The  great  burden  of  John's  ministry 
was,  "Repent  ye;  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  at  hand."  By  the  kingdom  is 
meant  redeemed  humanity  revealing 
itself  in  a  religious  communion  called 
the  church.  This  conception  of  the 
kingdom  is  in  dim  vision  in  the  Old 
Testament.  The  early  theocracy  was  a 
prophecy  of  it.  Here  and  there,  es- 
pecially in  the  prophets,  are  glimpses 
of  its  fact  and  features,  sometimes  in 
beautiful  portrayal;  but  it  remained 
for  the  Christ  to  give  to  mankind  a 
complete  portrayal  of  it. 

The  grandeur  and  glory  of  the  king- 
dom are  shown  in  words  that  Christ 
spoke  concerning  the  Baptist,  "Among 
them  that  are  born  of  women  there 
hath  not  arisen  a  greater  than  John 
the  Baptist :  jet  he  that  is  but  little  in 

15 


Contiuet 


the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  greater  than 
he/'  "In  its  unique  and  unapproach- 
able grandeur  it  dwarfs  all  the  lesser 
heights  to  which  the  prophetic  hopes 
had  risen,  and  remains  to  this  day  the 
transcendent  and  commanding  ideal  of 
the  possible  exaltation  of  our  human- 
ity." 

The  kingdom  of  God  was  founded  by 
Jesus,  who  came  as  its  very  embodi- 
ment, having  in  him  its  "vital  germ." 
It  may  be  said  that  the  kingdom  exist- 
ed in  his  person  from  the  moment  of  his 
birth.  And  it  is  through  the  individ- 
ual appropriation  of  his  person  and 
words  that  the  kingdom  is  constituted 
in  the  pure,  loving,  and  obedient  hearts 
of  men.  To  have  the  Christ  enthroned 
in  us  is  to  have  the  kingdom  within, 
and  to  be  within  the  kingdom. 

He  came  as  the  "Head  of  a  new  hu- 
manity, bringing  the  divine  into  the 
human."  He  is  both  Lord  and  King.  He 
is  the  Son  upon  whose  shoulders  the 
government  was  placed,  the  "Wonder- 
ful, Counsellor,  Mighty  God,  Everlast- 

16 


Tl^t  Jkimnom 


ing  Father,  Prince  of  Peace."  "Of  the 
increase  of  his  government  and  of 
peace  there  shall  be  no  end,  upon  the 
throne  of  David,  and  upon  his  king- 
dom, to  establish  it,  and  to  uphold  it 
with  judgment  and  with  righteousness 
from  henceforth  even  forever."  These 
words  refer  ultimately  to  Jesus  the 
Messiah.  The  God  of  the  universe,  and 
the  Father  of  us  all,  reigns  as  King  in 
the  Son  and  Child  of  the  Jews.  Jesus 
taught  that  this  is  "an  immediate 
presence  and  reign  of  God  among 
men."  The  words  of  the  prophet  have 
confirmation  in  the  angePs  message  to 
Mary,  "He  shall  be  great,  and  shall  be 
called  the  Son  of  the  Most  High:  and 
the  Lord  God  shall  give  unto  him  the 
throne  of  his  father  David:  and  he 
shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  for- 
ever ;  and  of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be 
no  end." 

The  reign  of  Jesus  is  in  righteous- 
ness. Man  is  a  sinner,  and  his  entire 
being  is  enmeshed  in  sin,  in  the  "an- 
archy and  misery  of  sin."    Its  penalty 

3  IT 


Contiuct 


is  death.  "For  the  wrath  of  God  is  re- 
vealed from  heaven  against  all  ungod- 
liness and  unrighteousness  of  men, 
who  hold  down  the  truth  in  unright- 
eousness.'' It  was  meet,  therefore, 
that  a  righteous  king  be  set  over  the 
government  of  God  for  the  purpose  of 
a  righteous  reign  in  men,  and  to  make 
righteous  living  the  employment  of 
men.  His  righteousness  manifested  it- 
self in  a  rule  of  justice,  love,  and  obedi- 
ence, primal  thoughts  in  moral  gov- 
ernment. His  love  and  obedience  were 
manifest  from  his  childhood.  Their 
best  and  sublimest  exemplification  ap- 
peared in  his  beautiful  demeanor  dur- 
ing his  passion,  and  in  his  death  on  the 
cross.  Could  words  be  nobler?  "Fath- 
er, if  thou  be  willing,  remove  this  cup 
from  me :  nevertheless  not  my  will,  but 
thine,  be  done."  And  again,  "Father, 
forgive  them ;  for  they  know  not  what 
they  do.'' 

Thus  the  King  died  for  hig  subjects 
and  fulfilled  all  righteousness.  Thus 
did  he  manifest  in  his  person  "the  pow- 

18 


%it  Hfitfftiom 


er  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God" — 
power  to  draw  all  men  to  him  and  to 
righteous  living,  wisdom  in  providing 
a  plan  of  escape  from  sin  to  righteous- 
ness. 


19 


^I^e  j^atttte  ot  tit  Hingtiom 

III 

C{)e  JOatute  of  tl)e  I&ingOom 

As  THE  founder  of  a  new  spiritual 
order,  Jesus  did  not  come  with  worldly 
pomp  and  show  of  arms.  He  rather 
came  a  humble  villager,  meek  and 
lowly,  with  a  heart  big  for  afl  the 
needs  of  mankind.  With  the  potency 
of  the  Deity  in  his  dual  nature,  and  of 
his  vicarious  death,  he  made  the  king- 
dom of  God  the  mightiest  and  sublim- 
est  individual  and  social  force  in  the 
world's  civilization.  It  is  such  since 
it  bears  in  its  constitution  the  perfec- 
tion of  the  invisible  God,  who  is  imma- 
nent in  it,  not  only  in  the  persons  of 
the  Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  but  also  in  its 
very  economy  of  grace  and  life. 

From  this  it  is  seen  that  it  is  invis- 
ible. To  the  Pharisees,  Jesus  said, 
"The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with 
observation :  neither  shall  they  say,  Lo, 

21 


Contiuct 


here!  or,  There!  for  lo,  the  kingdom 
of  God  is  within  yon."  It  i^  the  reign 
of  God,  through  the  Son,  in  the  indi- 
vidual and  social  life.  ^^The  kingdom 
of  God  is  not  eating  and  drinking,  but 
righteousness  and  peace  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Spirit."  Hence  the  kingdom  is 
also  spiritual.  In  the  individual  "it  is 
a  temper  of  mind,  a  spiritual  disposi- 
ftion,  a  state  of  heart."  "Blessed  are 
the  poor  in  spirit:  for  theirs  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  "It  is  a  principle 
working  from  within  outwards  for  the 
renewal  and  transformation  of  every 
department  of  our  existence — the  fam- 
ily, the  state,  and  social  life." 

It  is  spiritual  in  its  constitution  and 
in  its  administration ;  it  has  a  spiritual 
Head,  and  is  in  the  keeping  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Its  worship  is  in  spirit  and  in 
truth;  its  prayer  is,  "Thy  kingdom 
come.  Thy  will  be  done,  as  in  heaven, 
so  on  earth."  The  gradual  and  in- 
creasing spiritualization  of  the  whole 
life  of  mankind  is  its  splendid  and  far- 
reaching  purpose. 

22 


%it  jRatttce  of  tje  HinffHom 

From  this  it  is  seen  also  to  be  vital. 
Jesus  says,  "I  am  the  life."  The  king- 
dom is  his  person  in  the  soul.  "He  that 
hath  the  Son  hath  life."  He  came  to 
impart  the  life.  ^*In  him  was  life ;  and 
the  life  was  the  light  of  men."  And  his 
own  beautiful  words  are,  "I  came  that 
thev  may  have  life,  and  that  they  may 
have  it  abundantly."  Again,  he  says, 
"He  that  believeth  on  me,  though  he 
die,  yet  shall  he  live:  and  whosoever 
liveth  and  believeth  on  me  shall  never 
die."  When  the  prodigal  returned,  his 
father  said,  "Let  us  eat,  and  make 
merry ;  for  this  my  son  was  dead,  and  is 
alive  again."  "The  good  Shepherd 
giveth  his  life  for  the  sheep." 

In  the  wintertime  the  cold  brings  its 
chill,  so  that  the  tree  throws  aside  its 
garb  of  the  warm  months.  The  tree 
has  life,  but  there  is  small  evidence  of 
this  fact.  However,  when  April  comes 
with  sunshine  and  showers,  then  the 
abundant  life  manifests  itself  in  leaf 
and  flower,  in  growing  twig  and  ex- 
panding trunk,  and,  last  and  best  of 

23 


ConOuet 


all,  in  fruitage.  And  all  about  is  the 
larger  life  in  grass  and  flower  and  herb 
and  tree  and  creature.    And, 

"Whether  we  look,  or  whether  we  listen. 
We  hear  life  murmur,  or  see  it  glisten." 

The  soul  is  dead  in  the  chill  of  the  life 
of  trespass  and  sins.  There  is  life,  but 
it  is  mere  existence.  When,  however, 
Jesus  enters  the  life  and  bears  with 
him  the  kingdom,  there  comes  a  new 
birth  from  above,  a  transformation  of 
character.  This  is  life  anew.  But 
when  this  invisible,  spiritual,  vital 
something  takes  complete  possession  of 
the  soul  life,  and  energizes  the  souPs 
best  capabilities,  bringing  into  view  its 
largest  possibilities,  and  love  sends 
man  to  do  the  ministries  of  the  king- 
dom, then  he  ha>s  the  abundant  life. 

Again,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  uni- 
versal. To  Abraham  the  word  came, 
^^In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  be  blessed."  In  the  annunciation 
to  the  shepherds,  the  angel  said,  "Be- 
hold, I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great 
joy,  which  shall  be  to  all  the  people." 

24 


^^t  Batntt  of  tilt  Hing^om 

The  great  commission  is  to  evangelize 
all  nations,  to  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature.  "And  this  gospel  of 
the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  the 
whole  world  for  a  testimony  unto  all 
the  nations.''  In  response  to  the  sound- 
ing of  the  seventh  angel,  great  voices 
said,  "The  kingdom  of  the  world  is  be- 
come the  kingdom  of  our  Lord,  and  of 
his  Christ:  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever 
and  ever." 

These  latter  words  suggest  that  the 
kingdom  is  eternal.  "And  of  his  king- 
dom there  shall  be  no  end."  The  life 
also,  of  the  kingdom  is  eternal.  The 
souPs  longings  are  for  continued  ex- 
istence. The  Scriptures  answer  to  these 
longings  in  every  particular,  and  prom- 
ise everlasting  life.  Even  science  be- 
lieves in  the  continued  existence  and 
development  of  the  spiritual  life  after 
death.  Je«us  confirms  all  in  his  own 
words,  "And  this  is  life  eternal,  that 
they  should  know^  thee,  the  only  true 
God,  and  him  whom  thou  didst  send, 
even  Jesus  Christ." 

25 


%it  cortical  Jl^atute  ot  tit  Hinfftiom 


IV 
Ct)e  (Btbical  Jl^atute  oC  tbt 

"The  kingdom  is  not  fully  come  un- 
til everything  in  human  life,  and  in  the 
relations  of  man  in  society,  is  brought 
into  complete  harmony  with  the  will 
of  God."  It  has  a  fully  constituted 
moral  government;  and  though  there 
is  no  formal  organization,  yet  it  has  a 
full  complement  of  personalities,  serv- 
ing in  all  of  its  spiritual  offices  from 
the  King  to  teachers  and  doers  of 
truth.  It  is  possessed  of  a  moral  and 
Christian  citizenship  which  Jesus  de- 
clares to  be  the  stability,  and  preserv- 
ing power  and  light  of  the  world.  "Ye 
are  the  salt  of  the  earth,"  said  he.  'And 
again,  "Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world. 
'A  city  on  a  hill  cannot  be  hid." 

Its  fundamental  law  is  the  Sermon 
on  the  Mount.    "I  am  the  truth,"  is  its 

27 


Cont»uct 


Magna  Charta.  "If  ye  abide  in  my 
word,  then  are  ye  truly  my  disciples; 
and  ye  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the 
truth  shall  make  you  free.''  "If  there- 
fore the  Son  shall  make  you  free,  ye 
shall  be  free  indeed."  Its  constitution 
is  comprehended  in  two  words — holi- 
ness, and  love. 

As  respects  the  individual  life,  the 
one  condition  is  holiness,  the  law  of  ita 
self-preservation.  The  commandment 
is,  "Follow  after  peace  with  all  men, 
and  the  sanctification  without  which 
no  man  shall  see  the  Lord.''  "Pure  re- 
ligion and  undefiled  before  our  God 
and  Father  is  this,  ...  to  keep  one- 
self unspotted  from  the  world."  Isaiah 
had  a  vision  of  this  when  he  said,  "And 
an  highway  shall  be  there,  and  a  way, 
and  it  shall  be  called  The  way  of  holi- 
ness; the  unclean  shall  not  pass  over 
it:  .  ,  .  but  the  redeemed  shall  walk 
there." 

Jesus  imparted  all  the  beauty  of  his 
character  to  the  kingdom.  And  all 
who  enter  it  by  repentance  and  faith, 

28 


U^r  dtiital  Baiutt  ot  ftt  HfngHom 

and  continue  in  it  in  the  innocence  and 
loving,  trustful  spirit  of  the  child, 
grow  up  into  him,  their  living  Head. 
*^So  human  life  was  reconstituted,  be- 
cause reorganized  bv  his  having  passed 
through  it  divinely.  And  the  old  law 
was  again  illustrated — a  man  leaves 
himself  in  what  he  does  or  touches 
truly.'' 

The  outward  expression  of  holiness 
is  righteousness — rightness  in  conduct. 
Formally  and  coldly,  it  is  obedience  to 
the  law  of  God.  But  in  a  life  attuned 
to  the  great  heart  of  God,  as  affection- 
ately manifested  through  the  Son,  it  is 
the  sympathetic  performance  of  every 
Christian  duty.  It  is  doing  the  noble 
deed  in  the  spirit  and  manner  of  Jesus. 

As  respects  the  objective  life,  the  law 
is  love.  "Love  is  the  primal  form  of 
virtue  in  Christianity.''  "God  is  love." 
The  great  and  first  commandment, 
says  Jesus,  is,  "Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with 
all  thy  mind."     "And  a  second  like 

20 


ConHuct 


unto  it  is  this,  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself.  On  these  two  com- 
mandments hangeth  the  whole  law,  and 
the  prophets."  But  Jesus  made  an  ad- 
vance over  this  when  he  said,  "This  is 
my  commandment.  That  ye  love  one 
another,  even  as  I  have  loved  you. 
Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this, 
that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his 
friends."  To  die  for  another  is  to  love 
him  more  than  one's  self. 

Love  is  the  great  motive  power  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  the  compelling  power 
in  conduct.  It  is  not  merely  an  emo- 
tion toward  God  and  man,  not  a  mere 
feeling  that  refuses  to  harm  a  fellow; 
rather  it  is  a  dynamic  in  one's  being, 
an  energy  that  compels  to  action  in 
service  and  self-sacrifice,  according  to 
the  nature  and  the  laws  of  the  king- 
dom. Love  constrains  one  to  go  about 
doing  good.  It  takes  cognizance  of  the 
whole  world's  need,  and  of  the  world's 
whole  need.  It  seeks  to  supply  all,  and 
to  bring  to  all  the  blessings  and  treas- 
ures of  the  kingdom. 

30 


^^t  (Ethical  jRatute  ot  tSe  I^mgtiom 

The  prospect  before  it  is  universal 
peace  in  the  universal  kingdom.  The 
king  is  the  Prince  of  peace ;  and  he  has 
come  to  give  the  world  his  peace. 
Isaiah's  picture  of  the  ferocious  beasts 
and  domestic  animals  living  in  beauti- 
ful harmony,  and  led  by  a  little  child, 
is  a  figure  of  the  good  will  that  is  to  ob- 
tain in  the  kingdom.  "When  that 
which  is  perfect  is  come,  that  which  is 
in  part  shall  be  done  away."  Then  will 
sporadic  love  pass;  and  the  brother- 
hood of  man  shall  have  full  sway  when 
"man's  inhumanity  to  man"  gives  way 
to  universal  love  in  universal  peace. 


31 


%it  Cppe 


C6e  Cppe 

The  Lord  of  the  kingdom  is  its  type, 
its  ideal.  There  is  no  morality  possible 
without  an  ethical  ideal ;  and  the  ethics 
that  does  not  present  an  ideal  is  un- 
moral. Man  is  so  constituted  as  to 
need  a  supreme  good  toward  which  to 
direct  his  energies;  an  object  so  pure 
and  noble  as  to  fill  him  with  mightiest 
impulses,  motives,  and  convictions  to 
serve  as  spiritual  dynamics  in  the  reali- 
zation of  the  good.  An  ideal  is  de- 
manded in  whose  character  are  found 
the  essential  elements  of  the  perfect 
nature  of  the  kingdom,  and  whose  con- 
duct is  in  perfect  harmony  with  his 
own  character,  and  with  the  nature  of 
the  household  of  God.  Christian  ethics 
demands  a  perfect  ideal.  This  ideal  is 
found  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  historic 
Christ.      "That   was   the   true   Light, 

3  33 


Conduct 


which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh 
into  the  world.'' 

The  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God 
has  immense  value  for  us  apart  from 
his  vicarious  death.  The  new  human- 
ity manifested  in  him  is  a  revelation  of 
God's  ideal  of  mankind.  And  it  was 
with  a  cognizance  of  his  own  perfect 
manhood  that  Jesus  enjoined  upon  men 
the  perfection  of  the  Father. 

Jesus  was  a  type,  even  in  his  child- 
hood. As  a  child  he  "waxed  strong  in 
spirit";  he  was  "filled  with  wisdom"; 
"and  the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him." 
Here  is  character  backed  by  the  at- 
tainments of  wisdom  and  grace.  He 
was  about  the  Father's  business.  Here 
is  conduct  of  the  greatest  wisdom  and 
highest  intent.  Thus  it  was  that  he 
was  in  growing  favor  with  God  and 
man. 

He  was  born  in  poverty ;  he  lived  in 
mean  surroundings,  with  the  bare  op- 
portunities that  came  to  the  poor  of  his 
day  and  place.  He  was  a  son  in  the 
home  of  a  poor  carpenter;  but  he  had 

34 


%^t  ^ppe 


noble  parents,  who  did  the  best  they 
could  for  their  children ;  so  he  was  not 
deterred  from  study,  and  he  gained 
such  a  store  of  knowledge  as  to  astound 
the  people  of  his  day,  and  charm  the 
ages  since. 

His  youth,  also,  was  ideal,  and  cer- 
tainly continued  the  fine  characteris- 
tics and  virtues  of  his  childhood.  The 
events  at  his  baptism  attest  this.  John 
had  spoken  of  him  as  the  mightier  one 
to  come ;  and  it  must  be  supposed  that 
he  had  thus  spoken  in  the  certain 
knowledge  of  his  splendid  life  and  char- 
acter in  his  youth  and  young  manhood. 
On  his  arrival  John  calls  him,  with  fine 
insight  and  appreciation,  "The  Lamb 
of  God'' ;  but  most  significant  of  all  are 
the  following  words,  indicative  of 
Heaven's  appreciation  of  him,  "And 
Jesus,  when  he  was  baptized,  went  up 
straightway  from  the  water :  and  lo,  the 
heavens  were  opened  unto  him,  and  he 
saw  the  Spirit  of  God  descending  as  a 
dove,  and  coming  upon  him ;  and  lo,  a 
voice  out  of  the  heavens,  saying.  This 

35 


Conduct 


is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased/'  These  words  serve  as  a  clue 
to  his  grand  personality,  his  fine  char- 
acter, his  beautiful  life;  and  back  of 
these  events  was  a  life  of  goodness  and 
holiness,  a  life  of  submission  to  his  par- 
ents and  to  the  Father.  "Jesus  avoid- 
ed no  law  of  growth,  no  statute  of  the 
world,  or  order  of  nature,  no  sacrament 
of  society  or  of  God."  In  him  every 
power  of  personality — reason,  rational 
feeling,  conscience,  and  will — had  full 
play  in  perfect  harmony  of  action. 

He  was  all  this  by  his  own  choice  and 
by  his  own  moral  act,  by  "the  right  use 
of  his  freedom  in  perfect  active  and 
passive  obedience  to  God."  He  could  not 
be  wrong,  because  he  would  not,  through 
an  "absolute  self-determination  for 
goodness  and  holiness."  "While  all 
other  men  represent  but  broken  frag- 
ments of  the  idea  of  goodness  and  ho- 
liness, he  exhausts  the  list  of  virtues 
and  graces.  His  soul  is  a  moral  para- 
dise of  flowers  that  shine  in  every  va- 
riety of  color  under  the  blue  dome  of 

36 


^it  ^ppe 


the  skies,  drink  in  the  refreshing  dews 
of  heaven  and  the  warming  beams  of 
the  sun,  send  their  sweet  fragrance 
around,  and  fill  the  beholder  with  rap- 
turous delight." 

An  absorbing  study  with  Jesus  was 
humanity.  The  Bible  revealed  to  him 
man  with  his  many  powers  and  virtues, 
yet  full  of  frailties  and  failures.  The 
people  of  his  native  village  exhibited 
all  of  human  weakness  and  shortcom- 
ing, and  thus  his  knowledge  of  man- 
kind came  from  a  twofold  source.  He 
observed  the  burdens  and  woes  and  dis- 
ease to  which  man  is  heir.  He  knew 
something  of  the  pinch  of  poverty.  He 
had  personal  experience  of  manual  la- 
bor and  its  accompanying  fatigue.  He 
knew  what  it  was  to  eat  bread  by  the 
sweat  of  the  brow.  He  saw  the  blight- 
ing effect  of  sin  on  man's  whole  being — 
its  shame  and  woe  and  death.  In  this 
environment,  in  the  secrecy  of  his  pure 
life,  he  began  to  bear  our  griefs  and  to 
carry  our  sorrows,  to  feel  the  wound 
for  our  transgressions  and  the  bruise 

37 


Conliuct 


for  our  iniquities,  tlie  chastisement  for 
our  peace  and  the  stripes  for  our  heal- 
ing. And  just  as  a  mother's  greater 
sympathy  and  love  go  out  to  her  sick 
and  suffering  child  until  she  feels  every 
pang  of  the  fever  that  is  consuming  the 
little  life,  so  Jesus,  the  brother  to  our 
humanity,  was  moved  to  sympathy  and 
love  when  he  came  to  know  the  bitter, 
weary  way  of  man.  How  great  the  pas- 
sion of  his  affection  was,  is  seen  in  his 
future  conduct,  in  the  service  he  ren- 
dered to  man.  Wholly  unselfish  in  life, 
and  self-sacrificing  in  death,  he  stands 
alone  in  perfectly  incarnating  the  love 
of  God. 

Yet  another  element  contributed  to 
his  masterful  personality  and  charac- 
ter :  he  had  the  truth.  "Never  man  so 
spake.''  When  he  had  ended  speaking 
the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  "the  multi- 
tudes were  astonished  at  his  teaching: 
for  he  taught  them  as  one  having  au- 
thority, and  not  as  their  scribes."  The 
rest  of  his  reported  discourses  and  say- 
ings are  not  lacking  in  homely  wisdom, 

38 


%^t  ^vpt 


beautiful  truth,  and  "knowledge  of 
things  as  they  are." 

Can  we  imagine  a  solitude  some- 
where in  the  environs  of  Nazareth, 
w^hither  Jesus  betook  his  way  for  deep 
thought  and  illuminating  meditation? 
In  the  quiet  place,  of  which  he  was  ever 
fond,  he  looked  into  the  depths  of 
things  divine  and  human  until  the  vis- 
ion of  his  soul  expanded  into  compre- 
hension of  truth  in  all  of  its  higher 
meanings  and  relations.  And  wander- 
ing over  hill  and  field,  and  observing 
everything  in  nature,  acquainted  him 
with  the  wealth  of  truth  that  the  open 
book  of  nature  has  to  teach.  At  home 
and  school  he  pondered  the  holy  Word 
until  it  yielded  to  him  its  great  store- 
house of  truth  and  wisdom. 

This  is  the  Mightier  One  indeed.  Jean 
Paul  Richter  says,  "He  was  the  purest 
among  the  mighty  and  the  mightiest 
among  the  pure.''  A  character  of  "co- 
lossal dimensions,"  he  came  to  his  mis- 
sion in  the  world  with  an  authority 
never  before  possessed  by  man,  to  bap- 

39 


Conbuct 


tize  in  the  Holy  Spirit  and  in  fire.  It 
was  the  supreme  fitness  of  Jesus  that 
made  possible  the  descent  of  the  Spirit 
on  him  on  the  occasion  of  his  baptism, 
and  brought  to  him  the  plaudit  of 
heaven,  "This  is  my  beloved  son." 

Once  again  did  he  hear  this  word,  in 
the  transfiguration  on  the  mount,  when 
he  was  near  the  end  of  his  career,  and 
after  his  character  had  been  "tried  as 
by  fire."  The  years  of  his  ministry 
had  augmented  the  power  and  charm  of 
his  character.  They  had  served  to  in- 
tensify his  holiness  and  sympathetic 
affection  for  man,  and  to  perfect  the 
range  and  depth  of  his  acquaintance 
with  truth. 


40 


%^t  Conliuct  ot  tit  ^VP( 

VI 

Cl)e  ConDuct  of  tfie  Cppe 

The  person  and  work  of  Jesus  can- 
not be  separated,  inasmuch  as  his  con- 
duct is  the  perfect  expression  of  his 
character.  Were  there  a  single  incon- 
sistency in  word  or  deed,  he  could  not 
be  regarded  as  the  ideal  in  Christian 
ethics.  "The  Christian  rule  of  conduct 
is  the  perfect  character." 

Just  as  we  find  a  clue  to  the  character 
of  Jesus  in  words  spoken  on  the  occa- 
sion of  his  baptism,  so  also  we  find  a 
clue  to  his  ideal  conduct  in  words 
spoken  at  that  time.  They  are  his  own 
words,  "Suffer  it  now:  for  thus  it  be- 
cometh  us  to  fulfill  all  righteousness." 
These  words  seem  to  have  been  uttered 
in  the  same  spirit  in  which  the  earlier 
words  were  uttered  to  his  parents, 
touching  the  Father's  business.  As  he 
was  subject  to  his  parents  while  under 

41 


Contiuct 


their  roof,  so  now  he  will  be  subject  to 
the  Heavenly  Father.  And,  though 
conscious  of  his  supreme  holiness,  af- 
fection, and  wisdom,  nevertheless  he 
maintained  this  submissive  demeanor 
to  the  end. 

It  was  to  be  expected  that  the 
tempter  would  make  a  supreme  effort 
to  invalidate  his  personal  power  and  in- 
fluence before  he  had  had  opportunity 
to  test  his  character  in  real  life  in  the 
prosecution  of  his  mission.  It  was  a 
bold  stroke  directed  against  his  human 
nature.  The  import  of  the  issue  was 
seen  on  both  sides.  On  the  outcome  de- 
pended the  workFs  weal  or  woe.  And 
so  Jesus  withstood  every  assault  of  Sa- 
tan, in  his  appeal  to  hunger,  ambition, 
and  vanity.  With  the  Word  of  God 
Satan  was  completely  vanquished. 
"From  that  time  Jesus  began  to  preach 
and  to  say,  Repent  ye ;  for  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  at  hand."  Thus  was  his 
victory  celebrated  in  service;  and  it  is 
significant,  that  in  his  first  effort,  he 
sought  to  bring  in  the  kingdom,  the 

42 


%it  Connuct  of  tit  tC^pe 

Christian  commonwealth,  with  a  holy 
citizenship  and  greater  safety  for  man- 
kind morally. 

Throughout  his  public  ministry  he 
maintained  the  same  even  temper  in 
trial.  "He  came  unto  his  own  things, 
and  they  that  were  his  own  received  him 
not" ;  "He  was  despised  and  rejected  of 
men'';  "He  was  oppressed";  "and  he 
opened  not  his  mouth."  When  on  trial 
before  men  for  his  teaching  and  atti- 
tude toward  the  ethics  of  his  day,  he 
appealed  to  his  character  and  work. 
When  his  character  was  assailed,  the 
appeal  was  still  to  his  work.  "By  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them,"  said  he. 
Good  fruit  cannot  be  produced  by  a  cor- 
rupt tree. 

Gethsemane  and  Calvary,  with  the 
intervening  events,  were  the  supreme 
tests  of  his  character.  Gethsemane !  I 
leave  to  the  reader  to  ponder  its  tragic 
events  on  that  fateful  night.  "And  they 
all  forsook  him  and  fled."  To  the  kiss 
of  betrayal  was  added  denial.  In  his 
trial  he  endured  the  impudent  abuse 

43 


Contiuct 


and  mockery  and  wanton  insult  of  the 
mob;  in  his  condemnation  he  suffered 
the  most  flagrant  injustice;  it  was  all 
a  shameful  farce.  Calvary!  This  is 
the  sublimest  scene  in  the  history  of  the 
world-age.  Again,  Jesus  was  victori- 
ous, even  as  in  Gethsemane.  He  "en- 
dured the  cross,  despising  the  shame." 
He  was  victor  in  that  calm  of  soul  out 
of  which  he  prayed  for  forgiveness  for 
his  slayers,  and  said,  "It  is  finished." 

He  was  uncompromising  in  his  atti- 
tude toward  sin  and  wrong.  He  re- 
affirmed the  Mosaic  law  and  gave  it 
such  an  appreciation,  and  such  a 
searching  and  far-reaching  interpreta- 
tion, that  it  became  "living,  and  active, 
and  sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword, 
and  piercing  even  to  the  dividing  of 
soul  and  spirit,  of  both  joints  and  mar- 
row, and  quick  to  discern  the  thoughts 
and  intents  of  the  heart."  The  money 
sharks  were  driven  from  the  temple; 
and  his  condemnation  rested  on  Phari- 
saic egotism  and  conceit,  the  miserli- 
ness of  riches,  unbelief,  and  infidelity. 


and  the  materialism  that  trusts  in 
abundance  of  earthly  goods.  He  was 
no  less  severe  in  his  attitude  toward 
hypocrisy,  injustice  to  one's  fellow,  un- 
holy ambition,  neglect  of  self,  lack  of 
consideration  for  others,  and  forgetful- 
ness  toward  God. 

As  to  purity,  he  is  utterly  uncompro- 
mising. The  old  commandment  said, 
"Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery." 
"But  I  say  unto  you,"  said  he,  "that 
every  one  that  looketh  on  a  woman  to 
lust  after  her  hath  committed  adultery 
with  her  already  in  his  heart."  His  po- 
sition is  so  severe  as  to  demand  that  the 
thought  and  motive  back  of  the  choice 
and  deed  be  absolutely  pure.  It  is  bet- 
ter even  to  go  through  life  maimed  than 
to  offend  against  purity  in  any  manner. 
But  how  different  his  attitude  toward 
the  erring  soul !  We  need  but  to  recall 
the  names  of  Mary  Magdalene,  Zac- 
cheus,  the  rich  young  ruler,  and  the 
repentant  thief  on  the  cross.  It  is  re- 
freshing to  hear  him  say,  "For  the  Son 
of  man  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that 

45 


Contiuct 


which  was  lost."  Of  beautiful  import 
are  the  stories  of  the  woman  at  the 
well,  and  of  the  woman  of  Syro-Pheni- 
cia,  whose  daughter  was  possessed  of 
an  unclean  spirit.  Most  beautiful  are 
the  parables  of  the  Lost  Sheep,  the 
Lost  Piece,  and  the  Prodigal  Son;  but 
the  best  expression  of  his  love  for  sin- 
ful man  was  the  cross. 

He  was  also  the  friend  and  helper  of 
the  unfortunate  and  broken-hearted. 
His  call  to  humanity  is,  "Come  unto 
me,  all  ye  that  are  heavy  laden,  and  I 
will  give  you  rest."  To  the  disciples  of 
John  he  said,  "Go  your  way  and  tell 
John  the  things  which  ye  do  hear  and 
see;  the  blind  receive  their  sight,  and 
the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed, 
and  the  deaf  hear,  and  the  dead  are 
raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  good  tid- 
ings preached  to  them."  He  was  touch- 
ed with  a  feeling  of  man's  infirmities. 
He  wept  with  the  weeping ;  he  rejoiced 
with  the  joyful. 

Jesus  was  a  patriot.  He  came  "to 
the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel." 

46 


U&e  ConHuct  ot  tit  ^m 

His  first  effort  was  to  better  the  condi- 
tion of  the  Jew.  His  whole  life  was 
Jewish  in  manner.  This  is  also  seen  in 
what  he  said  concerning  the  law  and 
the  prophets,  "I  came  not  to  destroy, 
but  to  fulfill."  Thus  his  own  work  is 
seen  to  be  the  complete  realization  of 
all  that  God  purposed  in  the  great  re- 
ligious and  moral  institutions  which 
were  entrusted  to  the  Jews  for  keeping 
and  development.  Most  significant  of 
all  was  his  grand  effort  to  establish  the 
kingdom  first,  and  supremely,  in  the 
hearts  of  his  own  people. 

His  attitude  toward  government  was 
shown  in  his  quiet  submission  to  Rome. 
"Render  to  Caesar  the  things  that  are 
Caesar's,"  are  the  words  that  explain 
his  position  in  relation  to  the  existing 
rule.  His  people  had  lost  all  through 
sin  and  forgetfulness  of  the  Father, 
though  they  had  been  chosen  for  moral 
and  spiritual  supremacy.  Their  des- 
tiny was  conditioned  upon  their  ac- 
ceptance of  the  new  order  with  Jesus, 
the  Messiah,  as  its  rightful  Lord.    As 

47 


Connuct 


a  spiritual  sovereign,  his  kingship  did 
not  conflict  with  the  imperial  power  of 
Rome.  And  so,  while  they  lost  their 
peculiar  spiritual  position  by  their  re- 
jection of  him,  he  gained  all  by  his  cor- 
rect attitude  toward  Rome,  and  his  ad- 
herence to  the  divine  plan. 

The  highest  ideal  of  the  family  was 
given  to  mankind  by  Jesus.  As  a  son 
and  brother  there  was  nothing  lacking. 
He  helped  to  maintain  the  home  at 
manual  labor.  He  demands  "a  white 
life  for  two."  Thus  does  he  contend 
for  the  sanctity  of  the  marriage  vow 
and  the  purity  of  the  home.  He  is  no 
less  pronounced  in  his  contention  for 
the  integrity  of  the  marriage  bond ;  and 
there  is  no  uncertain  ring  in  his  words 
on  divorce.  God  made  man  male  and 
female ;  and  when  they  enter  into  wed- 
lock, they  become  one  flesh.  If  they 
separate,  except  for  the  one  cause,  and 
marry  again,  they  commit  adultery. 
And  no  one  has  the  moral  right  to 
marry  the  woman  put  aside  for  the  one 
cause.    The  inference  is  that  the  same 

48 


Wbt  €onmct  ot  tit  ^ppe 


prohibition  holds  against  the  man  who 
is  guilty  of  marital  infidelity,  and,  per- 
chance, is  put  aside  by  the  wife. 

The  whole  life  of  Jesus  was  one  of 
devotion  to  God.  With  him  conduct 
and  the  devotional  life  were  one  and 
the  same.  Yet  he  was  a  worshiper  of 
the  Father.  Many  times  he  turned 
aside  and  went  to  the  quiet  place  to 
pray.  He  even  crossed  the  Sea  of  Gal- 
ilee to  be  alone  in  communion  with 
God.  Prayer  never  contained  nobler 
sentiment  than  that  in  Jesus'  prayer 
after  his  beautiful  discourse  at  the  last 
supper.  And  as  he  was  given  to  the 
devotional  life,  so  he  enjoins  upon  men 
to  exercise  their  souls  in  all  the  forms 
of  spiritual  fellowship  with  God. 

Thus  did  he  direct  his  powers  to  ap- 
propriate ends;  and  his  gracious  per- 
son went  out  in  every  deed  and  word. 
His  grand  scheme  comprehended  a 
Christian  humanity  in  an  advanced  in- 
dividual and  social  life,  a  freer  and 
more  pervasive  reign  of  righteousness 
in  holiness,  love,  aud  truth. 

*  49 


Wbt  CStigftian  €iti^tn 


VII 

Cfie  C6ri0tian  Citizen 

In  beginning  the  brief  life-story  of 
Dr.  Adoniram  Judson  Gordon,  Dr.  A. 
T.  Pierson  says:  "How  simple  and 
brief  are  the  outlines  of  a  human  life. 
And  yet  only  eternity  can  fill  out  those 
outlines,  and  make  visible  the  unseen 
mysteries  which  we  call  character  and 
influence."  To  make  this  latter  pos- 
sible, much  must  be  put  into  the  earth- 
life  ;  and  it  is  not  too  soon  to  begin  the 
training  of  a  child  for  this  "a  hundred 
years  before  he  is  born,"  as  said  Dr. 
Oliver  Wendell  Holmes.  At  any  rate, 
we  have  come  to  a  time  when  the  prob- 
lem of  the  Christian  citizen  must  have 
a  solution  that  involves  a  reckoning 
with  infancy,  and  from  infancy. 

At  birth,  the  child  is  ushered  into  a 
complex  environment,  physical,  spir- 
itual, social,  hereditary.    All  of  these 

51 


Connuct 


have  much  to  do  with  shaping  his  fu- 
ture conduct,  character,  and  attitude 
toward  God.  His  life  should  be  so  di- 
rected, in  every  particular,  that  his  en- 
vironment may  surely  minister  to  his 
spiritual  "growth,  personal  power,  and 
character."  As  early  as  may  be,  his 
life  should  be  directed  toward  complete 
self-mastery,  toward  spiritual  and  eth- 
ical dominion  in  life,  toward  "living 
according  to  Christianity." 

"The  child  is  father  to  the  man," 
and  if  we  want  our  children  in  the  king- 
dom after  they  have  grown  to  manhood 
and  womanhood,  we  must  put  aside  the 
criminal  indifference  to  their  welfare 
that  is  rife,  even  in  many  of  our  Chris- 
tian homes.  Does  not  Jesus  mean  to 
say  that  the  children  are  really  in  the 
household  of  God,  w^hen  he  says,  "Of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven"?  As 
to  their  regeneration,  that  is  the  con- 
cern of  him  who  regenerates  by  the 
blood  of  Calvary,  and  in  his  own  good 
time.  It  is  the  obligation  of  parents, 
guardians,  and  all  who  have  education- 


^8e  €W^tian  €iti}tn 


al  and  spiritual  oversight  of  the  child, 
to  bring  into  the  home,  school,  and 
church,  and  everywhere,  such  a  "heav- 
enliness  of  life"  as  will  surely  minister 
to  the  complete  safety  of  our  little  ones. 

In  the  complex  life  of  to-day,  the 
child  needs  the  best  home  that  a  parent 
can  furnish,  not  with  luxury,  but  with 
holy  living.  Some  one  has  said,  "The 
world's  greatest  seminary  is  the  fire- 
side; for  good  or  for  evil  the  heart  of 
the  child  is  impressed  there."  And 
again,  "Train  the  children!  Their 
hearts  are  soft  and  plastic  now;  the 
springs  of  life  are  bubbling  up  in  crys- 
tal freshness  and  beauty ;  the  sapling  is 
straight  and  tender."  The  wise  man 
says,  "Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he 
should  go,  and  even  when  he  is  old  he 
will  not  depart  from  it." 

The  state  educates  the  child  for  in- 
telligent citizenship,  for  patriotic  and 
virtuous  civic  service.  The  home  and 
church  must  educate  him  for  conduct 
in  the  kingdom,  in  Christian  society, 
and  for  loyal  Christian  service.    In  the 


Conduct 


public  school  the  powers  of  the  mind 
are  developed  and  the  souFs  vision  is 
opened  to  truth.  In  the  home  and 
church  there  must  be  the  culture  of  the 
heart  and  the  opening  of  the  souFs  vis- 
ion to  truth  and  God.  All  make  for 
character,  but  the  home  and  church 
train  the  child  after  the  Type  of  the 
kingdom,  and  inspire  him  to  appropri- 
ate the  person  of  the  Type  for  the  vital- 
ization  of  the  whole  life  spiritually. 

"Heaven  lies  about  us  in  our  infan- 
cy," says  Wordsworth.  Then  may  we 
have  homes  in  which  the  children 
breathe  the  atmosphere  of  heaven  and 
grow  into  likeness  with  the  children's 
Friend.  May  we  have  a  church  in 
which  there  shall  be  such  sentiment  as 
will  regard  the  negligence  of  a  child's 
spiritual  good  as  criminal,  as  negli- 
gence to  its  life.  On  all  hands  the  chil- 
dren need  be  taught  that  the  "Father's 
business"  includes  the  whole  of  life's 
conduct,  and  that  all  of  life's  activities 
need  be  sanctified  of  God.  Then  may 
we  hope  for  childhood  to   pass   into 

54 


%it  C8n'0tian  Citften 


youth,  and  youth  into  life's  full  bloom, 
and  on  into  old  age  in  continuous  spir- 
itual growth,  along  with  the  growth 
and  development  of  the  body.  Then 
conduct,  in  ideal  forms,  will  have  a 
birth  in  childhood,  and  the  years  will 
give  it  intensity  and  quality.  And  day 
by  day  conduct  will  be  transmuted  into 
character;  and  character,  in  turn,  will 
manifest  itself  in  the  conduct  of  the  life 
devoted  to  God. 

The  ideal  here  presented  comports 
with  the  life  and  teachings  of  Jesus, 
and  its  realization  is  possible.  And  in 
the  face  of  present  realities  in  the  home 
and  school  and  church,  there  is  need  of 
an  awakening  to  the  importance  of  the 
fact  that  a  neglected  childhood  almost 
certainly  issues  in  a  sickly  manhood 
and  womanhood,  spiritually  and  eth- 
ically. The  permanency  of  the  king- 
dom is  fully  assured,  if  we  see  to  it  that 
Christian  citizenship  begins  with  the 
cradle. 

Now,  whenever  an  individual  enters 
the  family  of  God,  be  it  early  or  late,  he 

55 


Contittct 


needs  know  that  he  has  part  in  its  serv- 
ice as  well  as  in  its  blessings.  He  is 
bound  by  the  covenant  between  him 
and  God  to  make  all  out  of  his  life  that 
is  possible  for  the  extension  and  per- 
petuity of  the  kingdom.  All  of  his  fac- 
ulties and  powers  must  be  vitalized  by 
the  Christ  for  the  conscientious  and 
complete  performance  of  all  Christian 
duties.  The  Lord  of  the  kingdom  ex- 
pects every  soul  to  grow  into  character 
and  personal  power  by  conduct. 

"The  Christian  ideal  which  has  been 
historically  given  in  Christ,  as  it  is  to 
be  found  in  the  spiritual  consciousness 
of  Christians,  is  an  absolute  ideal. 
There  is  nothing  higher,  nothing  so 
commanding.  It  is  the  absolute  moral 
imperative  of  Christian  character."  It 
is  the  province  of  Christian  ethics  to  re- 
produce in  the  Christian  citizen  an  in- 
dividual like  the  Type  of  the  kingdom. 
The  Christ  becomes  incarnate  in  us  for 
this  express  purpose.  In  his  person- 
ality and  character  the  elements  are 
holiness,    sympathetic    affection,    and 

66 


^^t  C8tf0tfatt  €itUm 


truth.  These  must  be  inwrought  in  us 
by  the  indwelling  Christ;  and  as  the 
Holy  Spirit  descended  upon  him  for 
enduement  for  service,  so  must  he  en- 
due us  for  service,  and  bring  to  realiza- 
tion in  us  all  of  the  promises  that  Jesus 
made  to  the  disciples  concerning  the 
work  of  the  Spirit. 


57 


Contiuct  ot  tSe  Cfiti^tfan  €iti}m 


VIII 

C{)e  ConDuct  of  t&e  Cl)rij8itian 
Citizen 

"The  Christian  ideal  manifests  itself 
in  an  absolute  idea  of  conduct,  which  it 
introduces,  as  well  as  an  absolute  qual- 
ity of  character."  The  Christian  idea 
of  conduct  is  "righteousness  fulfilling 
the  ideal  law  of  love,  or  having  in  daily 
life  the  spirit  of  Christ." 

The  life  of  man  has  grown  very  com- 
plex— so  complex  that  he  finds  himself 
bound  up  in  almost  endless  relations. 
He  has  achieved  astoundingly  great 
and  varied  intellectual  development; 
and  so  his  life  has  expanded  and  inten- 
sified, and  his  activities  have  greatly 
increased.  He  has  been  living  the 
"strenuous  life."  The  witness  to  this 
is  modern  industrial  life  and  the  vastly 
expanded  domain  of  scientific  learning. 
The  useful  arts  have  bounded  into  num- 

59 


Conduct 


bers  and  intensity  under  the  impulse  of 
the  newly-aroused  and  newly-applied 
forces  of  man's  spiritual  being. 

Withal,  man  is  the  same  spiritual  be- 
ing. The  revolution  in  thought  that 
has  come  by  the  application  of  the  sci- 
entific method  has  wrought  no  change 
in  the  kingdom  of  God,  nor  in  the  fun- 
damental facts  of  religion  and  ethics. 
But  man  has  a  clearer  and  deeper  in- 
sight, a  larger  comprehension  of  all 
these  things.  Hence  his  conduct  will 
not  be  embarrassed  by  the  rush  of  the 
times.  Rather,  it  will  be  more  intelli- 
gently directed  to  its  appropriate  ends, 
since  the  whole  range  of  life  is  better 
understood,  and  the  moral  conscious- 
ness has  greater  insight  into  moral  re- 
lations, into  Christian  ethics. 

Christian  ethics  is  the  moral  law  ap- 
plied to  the  kingdom.  Christian  con- 
duct is  the  conduct  of  the  individual  in 
the  kingdom,  in  Christian  society.  In 
the  best  sense  it  is  the  Christ  incarnate 
in  us,  vitalizing  us  and  energizing  us 
in  all  of  our  activities.    Thus  it  is  all 

60 


Conduct  ot  t6e  Cfitisaitian  Citizen 

inclusive  of  life  and  permits  no  such 
distinction  in  the  things  of  life  as  sa- 
cred and  secular.  If  a  man  goes  to  the 
field  to  labor,  to  the  shop  to  work,  to 
the  polls  to  vote,  to  visit  the  sick,  to 
help  the  poor,  to  the  church  to  worship, 
he  bears  within  himself  the  kingdom. 
"The  reign  of  love,  or  kingdom  of  God, 
on  earth,  is  to  possess  and  to  fill  with 
good  all  the  spheres  of  human  life." 
Hence,  the  whole  of  life  is  sacred. 

Notwithstanding  the  great  develop- 
ment in  thought  and  life,  humanity's 
need  has  not  decreased.  The  forms  of 
sin  have  increased  until  they  are  legion. 
The  great  increase  in  population,  and 
the  decided  tendency  on  the  part  of 
men  to  congregate  in  cities  have  made 
possible  the  segregation  of  the  vicious 
and  criminal  classes;  and  crime  is  in- 
creasing much  faster  than  population. 
The  social  distinctions,  and  lack  of 
civic  conscience  and  of  philanthropy, 
have  bred  the  slum.  The  lack  of  civic 
patriotism  is  responsible  for  corrup- 
tion in  politics  and  for  recreancy  in 

Gl 


COttllUCt 


municipal  administration.  Too  many 
men  in  public  positions  forget  that 
"public  office  is  a  public  trust.'' 

The  social  life  is  corrupted  by  vices ; 
it  is  endangered  by  culpable  display  on 
the  part  of  the  conscienceless  rich,  by 
marital  impurity  and  infidelity,  by  a 
growing  disregard  for  the  sacredness 
of  human  life,  by  a  disregard  of  mutual 
responsibility  on  the  part  of  labor  and 
capital.  There  is  not  a  social  institu- 
tion, not  a  political  institution,  not  a 
spiritual  institution  that  is  not  men- 
aced by  some  lurking  fiend.  "For  our 
wrestling  is  not  against  flesh  and  blood, 
but  against  the  principalities,  against 
the  powers,  against  the  world-rulers  of 
this  darkness,  against  the  spiritual 
hosts  of  wickedness  in  the  heavenly 
places." 

The  task  before  us  is  to  perpetuate 
the  nation  and  exalt  its  name,  to  pre- 
serve the  honor  of  the  people,  to  bring 
the  thousands  who  do  not  know  the 
King  to  redemption  in  him,  to  regen- 
erate society,  to  speed  the  gospel  in  the 

62 


Cimtiuct  ot  t^t  €tti0tim  €itmn 

world's  dark  places,  to  bring  in  uni- 
versal peace  through  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  to  hasten  the  coming  of  the 
King.  The  world's  life  needs  to  be  com- 
pletely ethicized  by  the  universal  appli- 
cation of  the  principles  of  holiness  and 
righteousness  to  the  hearts  and  affairs 
of  men.  There  is  need  of  Godlike  char- 
acter and  conduct. 

The  solution  of  the  problems  pre- 
sented in  individual  and  social  needs 
rests  primarily  with  the  conscience  of 
the  individual  and  his  social  spirit. 
The  principles  governing  conduct  are 
to  be  sought  in  the  Type.  Two  of  them 
are  set  forth  in  the  following  words 
spoken  by  Jesus,  "But  whosoever 
would  become  great  among  you  shall 
be  your  minister ;  and  whosoever  would 
be  first  among  you  shall  be  your  bond- 
servant :  even  as  the  Son  of  man  came 
not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minis- 
ter, and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for 
many." 

The  first  is  the  law  of  service. 
"Christianity  requires  of  us  such  serv- 
es 


ConHttct 


ice,  because  it  always  holds  us  to  that 
which  is  best  and  noblest."  "A  disciple 
is  not  above  his  master,  nor  a  servant 
above  his  lord.  It  is  enough  for  the  dis- 
ciple that  he  be  as  his  master,  and  the 
servant  as  his  lord." 

The  second  is  the  law  of  self-sacrifice. 
Jesus  gave  ^^his  life  a  ransom  for 
many."  Again,  "Above  man  we  find 
that  the  law  of  sacrifice,  like  that  of 
service,  includes  God  himself,  for  God 
is  love,  and  love  is  self-giving :  .  .  .  his 
gift  of  himself  in  Christ  being  the  su- 
preme sacrifice,  the  unspeakable  gift." 
"If  any  man  would  come  after  me," 
said  Christ,  "let  him  deny  himself,  and 
take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me." 

The  third  law  is  implied  in  the  first 
two.  This  is  the  law  of  love.  "With- 
out love,  the  law  of  service  makes  one  a 
slave ;  without  love,  the  law  of  sacrifice 
makes  one  a  victim.  But  love  makes 
service  free  and  sacrifice  a  privilege." 
"Owe  no  man  anything,  save  to  love  one 
another:  for  he  that  loveth  the  other 
hath  fulfilled  the  law." 

64 


Connuct  a0  SDut?  to  &elf 


IX 

ConDuct  a»  Dutp  to  %el( 

The  personal  power  acquired  in  the 
kingdom  of  God  finds  sacred  employ- 
ment in  doing  the  duties  of  the  king- 
dom. This  is  but  the  conscientious  ob- 
servance of  the  three  great  laws  of 
conduct  wisely  applied  to  all  of  life's 
activities. 

"A  man,"  said  Goethe,  "must  first  he 
something,  before  he  can  hope  to  do 
anything."  Man  needs,  first  of  all,  to 
be  true  to  himself.  He  owes  to  himself 
the  perfection  of  his  whole  being, — "a 
sound  mind  in  a  sound  body,"  and  a 
soul  possessed  of  the  loftiest  spiritual 
attainments.  In  this  day  of  athletics 
and  healthful  and  abounding  outdoor 
pastimes,  to  say  nothing  of  the  daily 
toil  of  the  farm  and  shop,  little  need  be 
said  respecting  proper  exercise.  Too 
much,  however,  cannot  be  said  concern- 

5  65 


Contiuct 


ing  injurious  habits.  Socrates  taught 
that  self-control  is  the  foundation  of 
all  the  virtues.  Add  to  this  self- 
direction,  and  man's  power  over  self 
is  complete.  But  how  can  he  exercise 
either,  if  he  is  a  slave  to  an  impersonal 
thing,  or  is  in  the  throes  of  an  impure 
life? 

No  man  is  master  when  habit  en- 
slaves him.  To  gratify  the  intemperate 
appetites  is  mere  animalism;  and  it  is 
destructive  of  personality  and  charac- 
ter. But  when  one  is  a  victim  of  lust, 
w^hat  small  semblance  there  is  in  him 
to  a  man!  The  man  of  God  must  es- 
chew the  habits  and  vices  that  destroy. 
Let  him  stand  four-square  to  the  world 
and  show  himself  a  man  possessed  of 
the  best  physical  health  and  form,  with 
a  physical  prowess  sufificient  for  the 
strenuousness  of  modern  days.  Above 
all,  let  him  be  pure. 

Again,  we  all  owe  ourselves  the  best 
education  possible.  The  insistence  is 
not  on  a  course  at  college  and  the 
university,   but  that,  by  any  means, 

66 


Conduct  a0  SDut^  to  &eU 

the  mind  be  so  developed  and  cul- 
tured as  to  furnish  the  possessor 
with  facility,  precision,  and  power  in 
the  service  of  himself  and  of  others. 
The  present  demand  is  for  young  men 
and  women  who  are  capable  of  original 
thought,  intellectual  initiative,  and 
abounding  capacity  for  the  most  diffi- 
cult mental  tasks  imposed  upon  us  by 
the  prodigious  life  of  these  modern 
days. 

Along  with  the  growth  of  mental 
efficiency,  there  is  need  of  a  continuous 
acquirement  of  knowledge.  "The  great 
object  of  all  knowledge,"  said  Edward 
Everett,  "is  to  enlarge  and  purify  the 
soul,  to  fill  the  mind  with  noble  contem- 
plations and  to  furnish  a  refined  pleas- 
ure." Knowledge  serves  a  purpose 
scarcely  less  great  in  furnishing  data 
and  fuel  for  the  mind's  accumulated 
power.  Hence  the  need  of  full  and  cor- 
rect information  respecting  one's  par- 
ticular pursuit,  and  of  as  much  of  truth 
beside  as  one  may  get  by  a  wise  employ- 
ment of  one's  time  and  talents.    This 

67 


Contiuct 


enrichment  in  truth  should  include  a 
respectable  knowledge  of  one's  self 
physically  and  psychologically,  and  of 
all  the  relations  of  life  proceeding  from 
citizenship  and  patriotism,  ethics  and 
religion.  This  would  include  a  knowl- 
edge of  one's  country  sufficient  to  ap- 
preciate its  genius  and  its  need;  a 
knowledge  of  society  such  as  would 
awaken  a  lively  interest  in  it  ethically 
and  sociologically ;  a  knowledge  of  the 
world  in  which  we  live ;  the  phenomena 
of  nature,  as  treated  in  works  of  science 
or  demonstrated  in  the  laboratory,  to 
open  to  us  the  thoughts  of  Deity ;  and  a 
knowledge  of  God,  our  Creator,  Pre- 
server, and  Savior. 

For  the  refinement  of  life  one  must 
give  himself  to  the  pursuit  of  those 
things  that  bring  to  birth  and  develop 
the  sentiments  of  the  soul.  No  one  can 
live  the  refined  life,  unless,  in  some 
way,  the  soul's  noble  feelings  are 
roused  and  kept  active.  Therefore  we 
need  some  acquaintance  with  the  hu- 
manities and  the  fine  arts.     Here  we 

68 


Contiuct  a0  2Dut^  to  &rit 

may  include  the  Bible  for  its  great 
stores  of  literary  excellence,  profound 
truth,  true  principles  of  right  living, 
and  portrayal  of  the  world^s  greatest 
character.  We  have  also  the  open 
book  of  nature  in  many  and  varied 
forms  of  beauty  and  grandeur.  "Na- 
ture speaks  the  truth.  She  is  also 
beneficent  and  loving  as  well,  provided 
that  you  take  her  at  her  best,  and  work 
with  her  in  her  own  way.  Give  your- 
self to  her,  and  she  gives  herself  to 
you." 

In  the  mountains  of  southern  Penn- 
sylvania a  lone  fisherman  set  forth  at 
eventide  to  spend  the  night  by  a  moun- 
tain stream.  It  was  a  beautiful  night, 
calm  and  clear,  and  nature  was  in  a 
hush.  The  night  was  not  eventful ;  but 
when  morning  began  its  course,  the 
fisherman  was  roused  from  his  reveries 
by  the  glories  of  the  dawn.  First  came 
morning's  gray  streaks;  then  the  stars 
went  to  rest.  Across  the  stream  in  the 
forest  an  unrecognized  bird,  a  herald  of 
day,  gave  forth  a  shrill  note;  a  hawk 


Conduct 


raised  its  harsh  cry ;  wood  thrushes,  in 
"sweet  wood  notes  wild,"  warbled,  in 
strophe  and  antistrophe,  their  sweetest 
song;  and  the  bluejays,  in  querulous 
tones,  came  tripping  from  tree  to  tree; 
and  the  oratorio  of  the  woods  was  over. 
Daylight  had  come,  and  with  it  the  fish- 
erman "hied  him  home."  The  sun  was 
shining  full  against  the  hillside,  and 
the  dewdrop  was  transformed  into  dia- 
mond and  emerald  and  amber.  Then 
did  the  fisherman  become  the  poet,  and 
his  cup  of  sentiment  was  full.  Out  of 
his  soul  rose  incense  that  is  in  the  keep- 
ing of  the  angel  of  the  records,  and  a 
poem,  that  continually  sweetens  life, 
lies  hid  in  the  fisherman's  soul. 

In  the  First  Psalm  are  set  forth  the 
laws  of  moral  and  spiritual  perfection. 
In  the  first  place,  one  must  eschew  all 
ungodliness.  This  is  indeed  a  negative 
law,  yet  it  implies  a  supreme  choice. 
The  evil  needs  be  negatived  for  a  two- 
fold reason :  that  it  may  not  harm ;  and 
that  the  good  may  have  full  opportu- 
nity for  growth  and  enrichment.     In 

70 


Contmct  a^  SDutp  to  &elf 

the  next  place  we  have  a  positive  law 
in  the  declaration  of  an  essential  in  the 
souFs  growth, — delightful  and  medi- 
tative study  of  the  Lord's  law  written 
in  man's  nature,  in  history  and  civil- 
ization, on  the  pages  of  nature,  and, 
primarily,  in  the  revealed  Word  and  in 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  living  Word  of 
God.  These  are  the  laws  of  growth, — 
for  "he  shall  be  like  a  tree  planted  by 
the  streams  of  water."  They  are  the 
laws,  as  well,  of  continuous  stability, — 
for  the  "leaf  also  doth  not  wither.'' 
Again,  they  are  the  laws  of  productive- 
ness,— for  fruit  is  brought  forth  in  sea- 
son. Lastly,  they  are  the  laws  of  pros- 
perity,— "In  whatsoever  he  doeth,  he 
shall  prosper."  He  who  observes  them 
is  blessed ;  and  the  Lord  knows  his  way. 
We  have  also  the  privilege  of  inti- 
mate communion  with  the  Father,  in 
fellowship  with  whom  we  grow  more 
and  more  into  likeness  to  him.  The 
promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit  for  guidance 
into  truth,  and  to  apply  heaven's  spark 
to     man's     intellectual     attainments, 

71 


Contiuct 


should  be  claimed  every  day.  "And 
grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  in 
whom  ye  were  sealed  unto  the  day  of 
redemption." 


72 


SiiS  2Dut?  to  SDtbtt0 


X 

(ConDuct  as  Dutg— to  ©tijets— to 
©ocietg— to  ©oD 

One^s  neighbor  is  as  much  in  need  of 
the  perfection  of  his  being  as  himself. 
And  since  "no  one  lives  unto  himself/^ 
it  is  incumbent  upon  each  one  to  help 
his  neighbor  secure  the  potent  person- 
ality which  he  craves  for  himself.  This 
is  the  opportunity  to  employ  the  three 
great  laws  of  conduct  for  a  neighbor's 
good.  How  to  do  this  must  be  left  to 
the  enlightened  conscience  of  each  indi- 
vidual on  the  occasion  of  need. 

But  more  is  due  our  neighbor  than 
service  in  helping  him  to  perfect  his 
nature.  He  has  needs  many  and  ills 
many.  The  ideal  attitude  and  conduct 
in  relation  to  him  are  set  forth  in  the 
parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan,  and 
other  of  the  Lord's  parables.  It  is  to 
help  the  unfortunate,  feed  the  hungry, 

73 


€onhntt 


clothe  the  naked,  visit  the  sick,  and  go 
to  those  in  prison.     This  is  the  spirit 
and  the  type  of  conduct  that  possessed 
David  Livingstone,  the  apostle  to  Af- 
rica, in  laboring  "to  heal  the  open  sore 
of  the  world.''    How  beautifully  it  has 
been  employed  in  the  establishment  of 
the  Oxford  orphanages  by  the  great- 
souled  George  Miiller,  and  in  the  patri- 
arch and  apostle  to  the  New  Hebrides, 
John  G.  Paton.    It  is  seen  in  Jane  Ad- 
dams,  the  angel  of  Hull  House,  Chi- 
cago.   No  more  beautiful  story  is  told 
of  the  late  Bishop  Phillips  Brooks  than 
that  of  his  caring  for  a  peevish  babe 
while  the  mother,  at  his  word,  went  out 
into  the  open  to  breathe  the  fresh  air  of 
the  seashore.    Heaven  looks  on  when  a 
drink  of  refreshing  water  is  given  in 
the  name  of  a  disciple. 

The  leprosy  of  sin  has  eaten  to  man's 
very  life's  core.  His  danger  is  immi- 
nent. Even  now  the  voice  of  Jesus 
rings  clear,  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world, 
and  preach  the  gospel  to  the  whole  cre- 
ation," "that  repentance  and  remission 

74 


ja0  2Dutp  to  SDtitt& 


of  sins  may  be  preached  in  his  name 
unto  all  the  nations,  beginning  at  Je- 
rusalem.^' Are  we  his  disciples?  Then 
the  call  is  to  us.  Do  we  lack  passion 
for  souls?  See  Jesus  as  he  sits  on  Oli- 
vet's side  weeping  over  unrepentant 
Jerusalem.  Have  jou  seen  a  mother  in 
her  anguish  of  soul  at  the  bier  of  an 
unrepentant  son?  If  so,  you  can  appre- 
ciate in  a  way,  the  intense  heart  pangs 
of  Jesus  at  his  rejection  by  Jerusalem. 

We  may  learn  something  from  the 
conduct  of  Paul.  "Woe  is  unto  me," 
said  he,  "if  I  preach  not  the  gospel." 
And  again,  "I  say  the  truth  in  Christ, 
I  lie  not,  my  conscience  bearing  witness 
with  me  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  I  have 
great  sorrow  and  unceasing  pain  in  my 
heart.  For  I  could  wish  that  I  myself 
were  anathema  from  Christ  for  my 
brethren's  sake,  my  kinsmen  according 
to  the  flesh." 

Closely  allied  to  the  duties  to  one's 
neighbor  are  those  to  society.  Lord 
Tennyson  says  in  Locksley  Hall : 


€onmtt 


"Cursed  be  the  social  wants  that  sin  against  the 
strength  of  youth ! 

Cursed  be  the  social  lies  that  warp  us  from  the 
truth ! 

Cursed  be  the  sickly  forms  that  err  from  honest 
nature's  rule ! 

Cursed  be  the  gold  that  gilds  the  straitened  fore- 
head of  the  fool !" 

In  the  first  verse  the  imprecation  is 
against  the  degrading  and  corrupting 
practices,  vices,  and  amusements  that 
rob  youth  of  beauty,  personal  power, 
and  character,  and  destroy  the  body 
and  soul.  In  the  second,  the  curse  is 
pronounced  against  the  lie  that  no 
sanctity  attaches  to  the  family,  no  vir- 
tue to  the  church,  no  inherent  rights  to 
the  state.  It  is  the  lie  against  all  social 
order,  whose  foundation  is  the  family. 
The  third  imprecation  is  against  the 
vices  of  society,  the  social  evil  and  the 
enslavement  of  man's  being  by  any 
practice  or  habit.  Woman  was  created 
to  fill  the  sacred  duties  of  mother, 
daughter,  sister,  and  wife ;  not  to  be  a 
mere  thing,  to  be  offered,  virtue  and  all, 
as  a  chattel  in  the  market  of  passion. 
Man  was  made  for  the  place  of  father, 


ja0  S>ntv  to  SDtitt0 


son,  brother,  and  husband,  to  be  pure 
and  noble  like  the  Nazarene.  The 
fourth  imprecation  is  against  the 
selfish,  unsocial,  criminal,  and  misan- 
thropic use  of  money.  The  ethical 
imperative  is  to  destroy  the  social 
wrong,  to  preserve  the  social  institu- 
tions, and  to  save  the  people. 

There  is  yet  another  phase  to  the 
problem  of  society.  It  is  called  the  so- 
cial problem.  There  is  danger  to  social 
solidarity.  Modern  industrial  move- 
ments have  brought  with  them  a  disin- 
tegration that  threatens  to  bring  about 
the  submergence  of  the  individual. 
Civilization  seems  to  have  moved  away 
from  "an  individual  to  a  collective 
type."  Human  interests  center  in 
great  organizations;  and  mergers 
without  souls  are  to  the  front.  "Man 
goes  to  the  shop  where  he  becomes  a 
mere  number,  and  his  voice  is  lost  in 
the  hum  of  machinery."  Now,  ethics 
demands  the  integrity  of  the  individ- 
ual, while  it  recognizes  the  social  idea. 
The  imperative  need  is  for  all  men  to 

77 


Conduct 


recognize  that  humanity  lives  in  vital 
ethical  relations,  as  deep  as  being  it- 
self, and  that  the  whole  complex  life  of 
man  must  be  thoroughly  ethicized, 
made  submissive  to  moral  law.  The 
remedy  is  in  the  three  great  laws. 
When  labor  and  capital  come  to  realize 
that  neither  can  live  unto  itself,  and 
that  each  without  the  other  cannot 
thrive,  and  employ  the  principles  of 
service,  sacrifice,  and  love,  in  an  altru- 
ism begotten  of  the  spirit  of  the  King, 
selfishness  will  pass,  and  common  in- 
terest will  have  free  course. 

The  great  principle  herein  involved 
is  that  of  Christian  comity  in  all  dis- 
putes. We  have  had  enough  of  the 
strike,  boycott,  and  mob  violence  in  our 
fair  land.  In  soberness  of  mind  let 
there  be  recourse  to  this  principle  of 
mutual  respect,  which  is  of  the  very 
highest  ethical  value,  and  it  will  allay 
industrial  hate  and  social  discontent. 

"The  individual,"  says  Prof.  Borden 
P.  Bowne,  "who  has  no  interest  in  the 
common  good,  deserves  all  condemna- 

78 


Si0  SDut^  to  SDt^tt^ 


tion;  but  that  view  is  equally  selfish 
and  odious  which  would  sacrifice  the 
individual  to  society.  A  common  good 
to  which  all  minister  and  in  which  all 
share  is  the  only  conception  which  sat- 
isfies us."  And  again,  "Devotion  to  the 
common  good  is  the  great  condition  of 
a  moral  life,  and  even  of  social  exist- 
ence. Hence,  in  one  form  or  another, 
it  is  the  great  demand  which  ethics 
makes  upon  the  individual." 

To  God  we  owe  all.  He  has  written 
in  us,  and  all  about  us,  the  evidence  of 
his  power,  wisdom,  and  perfection, 
goodness,  love,  and  providence.  It  is 
our  duty  to  know  him  and  to  worship 
him,  to  believe  in  him  and  to  trust  him, 
to  be  obedient  to  him  in  the  continuous 
performance  of  his  will.  We  owe  to 
him  ourselves,  and  to  do  all  our  service 
in  grateful  recognition  of  him  as  the 
giver  of  all  personal  powers,  and  oppor- 
tunities to  do  good. 


79 


C6ti0ttan  CgaracUt 


XI 

€bti»tim  Ctataetet 

"The  Christian  character,  in  its  per- 
fect idea,  is  the  nature  of  man 
completely  ethicized  through  the  in- 
dwelling of  the  Spirit."  "The  center  of 
character  is  found  in  the  will  to  do 
right."  This  being  true,  it  follows  that 
Christian  character  is  the  nature  of 
man  imbued  with  the  new  humanity  in 
Jesus,  by  the  self-determining  powor  of 
the  will.  This  choice  is  made  under 
the  inspiring  presence,  influence,  and 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Character  begins  in  a  supreme 
choice,  in  the  good  will  choosing  a 
good.  It  is  Christian  when  the  choice 
is  directed  to  Jesus  Christ  as  the  high- 
est good,  or  is  made  in  the  spirit  of  the 
Christ  with  the  good  of  the  kingdom  as 
an  end.  Here,  again,  we  must  keep  in 
mind  that  "the  good  is  nothing  real  ex- 

6  81 


Conduct 


cept  as  the  good  of  a  person,"  since  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  an  institution  in  the 
hearts  of  men,  with  a  spiritual  Head. 
It  may  take  the  direction  of  the  per- 
sonal, the  social,  or  the  theistic  senti- 
ments. In  either  event  the  effect  is 
character. 

In  order  that  the  good  will  may  re- 
main the  center  of  character,  it  must 
continually  direct  the  life  to  appropri- 
ate ends  in  the  good,  which  is  conduct. 
Now,  character,  in  its  very  nature,  can- 
not remain  stationary.  It  will  either 
grow  or  degenerate.  In  the  Christian 
it  must  be  a  development;  and,  at  the 
same  time,  it  is  a  spiritual  dynamic 
that  must  express  itself  in  conduct,  or 
lose  all.  But  not  only  is  it  a  force  that 
expresses  and  expends  itself  in  con- 
duct; like  all  things  mental  and  spir- 
itual, it  increases  by  that  which  it 
expends.  "There  is  that  scattereth,  and 
increaseth  yet  more;  and  there  is  that 
withholdeth  more  than  is  meet,  but  it 
lendeth  only  to  want." 

The  chief  glory  of  character  is  that 

82 


C8ti0tian  CJatacUt 


in  expressing  and  expending  itself  it 
gives  itself.  And  since  holiness,  love, 
and  truth  are  its  primal  qualities,  they 
are  its  contribution  to  life.  But  it  does 
not  stop  with  giving  itself ;  for  it  takes 
the  peculiar  abilities  of  the  individual, 
in  whom  it  is  incarnated,  and  goes 
abroad  with  them  to  love,  sacrifice,  and 
serve  for  the  blessing  of  humanity. 
Thus  it  not  only  enriches  and  dignifies 
the  life  of  the  possessor,  but  also  it  en- 
riches and  sweetens  the  life  of  others, 
and  sheds  a  fragrance  upon  the  world. 
And  surely  the  field  is  white  unto 
harvest.  The  opportunity  is  here  to 
employ  our  best  selves  in  unselfish 
service.  The  opportunity  is  here  to  be- 
get within  us  a  superb  selfhood  in  the 
loving  service  of  man  and  God.  Dr. 
J.  G.  Holland  has  beautifully  express- 
ed this  in  the  following: 

"I  count  this  thing  to  be  grandly  true, 
That  a  noble  deed  is  a  step  toward  God, 
Lifting  the  soul  from  the  common  sod 
To  purer  air  and  a  broader  view." 


83 


ConHuct 


Thus  these  verses  depict  the  influence 
of  service  upon  character.  Could  we 
but  make  them  a  daily  motto,  lifers  toil 
would  soon  cease  to  be  a  burden,  and 
the  duties  of  the  kingdom  would  be  per- 
formed with  alacrity.  Instill  such  a 
motto  into  the  life  of  a  contracted, 
peevish  Christian  for  his  daily  service, 
and  he  will  cease  finding  fault  with 
every  one  and  everything;  and  for  all 
his  former  "trials  and  tribulations"  he 
will  have  victories  and  joys.  There 
was  one  faultfinder  in  the  company  of 
Jesus,  and  he  proved  to  be  a  fiend ;  but 
there  was  one  who  looked  into  the  heart 
of  Jesus  and  read  its  sweet  sentiments 
of  love;  and  to  the  end  of  his  days  his 
message  was,  "Little  children,  love.'' 

'Again,  put  that  sentiment  into  the 
heart  of  sorrow  or  discouragement,  and 
let  it  be  employed  for  a  single  day,  and 
it  will  brighten  as  the  sun  bursting 
from  behind  a  cloud,  as  the  fresh  joys 
of  heaven  rush  in  and  crowd  out  the 
grief.  Introduce  it  into  the  life  and 
work  of  the  church,  and  there  will  be  a 

84 


€W^tian  CJatacUt 


transformation  in  all  of  its  services  and 
ministries.  "The  moral  atmosphere  of 
these  Christian  days  is  the  vitalizing, 
sunny  power  of  the  gospel."  Another 
has  said,  "Character  was  not  made  to 
grow  in  a  vacuum,  but  in  a  sunny  air.'' 

When  one  has  his  life  centered  in  the 
good  deed,  there  is  neither  room  nor 
time,  except  to  pursue  that  good  until 
it  is  effected  in  joy,  and  in  greater 
beauty  of  character.  And  it  must  be 
so,  since  it  is  Godlike,  and  brings  us 
nearer  to  God.  It  crowds  earth  out  of 
life;  and  we  are  made  to  breathe  the 
pure  air  of  heaven  and  to  have  such  an 
outlook  on  life  as  dispels  its  trivialities 
and  meanness,  and  fills  it  with  good 
and  hope  and  aspiration. 

But  what  is  the  influence  of  service 
upon  character  in  the  life  of  the  strong 
man?  Experience  has  taught  him  what 
the  joy  and  increased  Christian  stature 
are.  Each  day  brings  added  zest  to 
this  high-souled  man  in  moving  the 
masses.  And  wherein  lies  his  high- 
souledness?   It  is  in  the  fact  that  while 

85 


Contiuct 


others  waste  their  spiritual  substance 
in  petty  meanness,  this  one  grows  into 
increased  power,  and  more  enduring 
character  by  a  service  that  makes  his 
fellows  holier  and  happier.  This  man 
goes  to  his  service  with  an  ardor  that 
betokens  a  keen  passion  for  good.  He 
comes  out  of  it  with  the  joy  of  victory, 
with  a  nobler  manhood,  stronger  and 
readier  for  the  next  good.  He  may  be 
a  mere,  humble  toiler;  he  may  be  a 
prophet  of  God.  High  or  low,  he  is  a 
nobleman  of  the  kingdom.  And  he 
serves  singing,  "In  thy  service  pain  is 
pleasure;  with  thy  favor,  sacrifice  is 
gain." 

Character  has  a  twofold  ultimate. 
The  one  is  the  devotional  life.  No 
Christian  can  render  such  service,  or 
perform  such  conduct  as  the  kingdom 
of  God  demands  and  grants,  and  Chris- 
tian character  prompts,  and  not  enter 
into  closer  fellowship  with  God.  The 
other  is  an  eternal  force.  It  con- 
tinues in  the  soul  in  which  it  has  its 
evolution    throughout    the    world-age 

86 


C6rt0tian  CSatacter 


and  the  eternal  age.  It  has  also  a  re- 
incarnation in  the  lives  that  it  reaches 
and  influences;  and  here  it  will  con- 
tinue in  the  years  and  generations  yet 
to  be,  in  ever-widening  power. 


87 


%^t  2Det)ot(Dnal  JLitt 


XII 
Cl)e  Detootional  Hife 

The  devotional  life  is  the  direction 
of  one's  powers  and  faculties  to  God, 
the  all-appropriate  end,  and  the  abso- 
lute end.  It  is  the  dedication  to  him, 
in  self-determination,  of  all  that  we  are 
and  possess  for  the  service  of  him.  Its 
greatest  expression  is  supreme  love  to 
God,  the  Father ;  and  this  love  proceeds 
from  one's  whole  spiritual  being, — 
heart,  soul,  and  mind.  The  ordinary, 
and  yet  all-important,  manifestations 
of  the  devotional  life  are  piety  and 
prayer. 

The  implication  in  the  preceding 
words  is  that  the  devotional  life  is  one 
of  self-surrender  out  of  pure  love  to 
God,  so  that  we  are  happy  in  the  reali- 
zation that  we  are  bond-servants  of  the 
Father  and  the  Son.  And  this  does  not 
effect  an  arbitrary  ownership  in  God, 

89 


Conduct 


neither  does  it  involve  us  in  spiritual 
slavery  or  loss  of  personality.  It  is  a 
voluntary  allegiance,  out  of  a  loving 
heart,  to  God,  whose  sovereignty  is  ex- 
ercised in  love.  It  is  the  greatest  free- 
dom, since  it  is  self-given ;  and  in  this 
relation  the  soul  is  freest  from  the 
trammels  of  sin. 

Therefore,  the  devotional  life  is  an 
attitude  of  heart,  and  it  is  based  upon 
character.  It  is  that  which  makes  our 
self-surrendered  lives  worthy  of  God's 
acceptance  and  keeping.  It  is  this  that 
conditions  our  fellowship  with  God, 
since  we  can  devote  to  him  only  as 
much  as  we  are,  and  the  kind  that  we 
are.  On  this  also  our  appreciation  of 
God  is  based,  inasmuch  as  it  can  only 
be  as  intense  as  our  capacity  to  enjoy 
him.  Again,  our  oneness  with  God 
rests  on  the  same  basis;  and  the  cov- 
enant existing  between  him  and  us  is 
not  sealed  until  we  make  the  Godward 
investment  of  life. 

The  fruits  of  this  life  are  as  its  na- 
ture, and,  in  some  aspects,  one  with  its 

90 


%^t  SDebotional  JLitt 


nature.  There  is  first  a  serenity  and 
restfulness  of  spirit,  a  repose  of  soul. 
In  the  souFs  environment  there  may  be 
every  form  of  distraction,  yet  within,  a 
feeling  of  confidence  and  security,  such 
as  inspires  songs  in  the  night.  Its  best 
illustrations  are  the  simple  trust  which 
a  child  reposes  in  its  parents,  and  the 
heroism  of  the  great  soul  that  is  un- 
moved by  the  imminence  of  danger,  be- 
cause of  a  correct  attitude  toward  the 
Father.  Moreover,  there  is  the  open 
vision  toward  God,  in  which  the  soul 
gazes  on  him  and  contemplates  him  in 
his  majestic  love  and  beauty.  Many 
there  are  who  prize,  above  all,  the  in- 
ward look;  they  seem  to  think  that  in- 
trospection is  life's  greatest  satisfac- 
tion. Again,  many  have  their  soul's 
gaze  simply  on  the  things  of  earth ;  but 
in  the  life  that  is  consecrated  to  God, 
there  is  possible  a  vision  of  the  tran- 
scendent glory  of  God  in  his  perfection. 
And  nothing  in  life's  outward  circum- 
stances breaks  off  the  view. 

Another   employment   of  the   devo- 

91 


Conduct 


tional  life  is  spiritual  meditation,  in 
which  the  soul  takes  cognizance  of 
God's  redemptive  scheme  and  his  great 
thoughts  of  holiness,  love,  and  truth  for 
the  vitalization  of  one's  whole  life. 
But,  more  than  all,  the  soul  delights  in 
thoughts  of  "the  unspeakable  riches  of 
Christ,"  of  its  relation  to  him,  and, 
through  him,  to  God ;  and  there  is  not 
an  event  of  his  life  on  earth,  but  it  fur- 
nishes food  for  man's  quiet  thinking. 

Then  there  is  the  habit  of  experien- 
cing God.  A  nature  lover  on  a  summer 
afternoon  went  to  the  haunts  of  his 
boyhood  by  the  rocky  side  of  a  moun- 
tain stream.  After  some  time  spent  in 
communing  with  the  things  about,  he 
set  to  the  task  of  climbing  the  moun- 
tain's bleak,  rough  side.  At  the  sum- 
mit he  sat  down ;  and  nothing  disturbed 
his  solitude  save  the  roar  of  the  stream 
below.  In  all  the  view  not  a  bird  was 
in  sight,  nor  any  living  thing,  but  only 
rocks  and  trees,  and  many  of  the  latter 
in  melancholy  deadness.  Yet  the  lover 
of  nature  did  not  feel  that  he  was  alone. 

92 


^6e  SDebottonal  JLitt 


He  was  in  a  pensive  mood,  when  sud- 
denly the  very  air  seemed  to  be  filled 
with  a  glorious  presence.  Deity  seemed 
to  be  enveloping  him,  and  announcing 
himself  to  him  in  some  form  of  spir- 
itual communication.  It  was  the  still 
small  voice  speaking  to  the  soul  that 
thus  was  conscious  of  God. 

Again,  the  soul,  in  the  devotional 
life,  feasts  on  God.  The  duties  are 
transformed  into  splendid  privileges; 
and  when  they  are  performed  in  the 
spirit  of  the  Nazarene,  they  become  the 
channels  by  which  we  receive  spiritual 
sustenance,  and  the  means  of  growth 
in  the  Christian  graces  and  virtues. 
This  life  is  Godward,  moving  upward 
in  prayer  and  heavenly  aspiration.  In 
this  reflex  action  spiritual  furnishing 
is  borne  direct  from  God.  Here  the 
soul  grows  by  what  it  gives.  Its  ex- 
penditure is  its  food,  and  this,  in  turn, 
effects  additional  spiritual  enrichment. 

The  devotional  life  is  a  life  in  Christ. 
^^Your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God" ; 
"and  in  him  ye  are  made  full."    To  his 


Contiuct 


disciples  he  said,  "I  am  the  vine,  ye  are 
the  branches:  he  that  abideth  in  me, 
and  I  in  him,  the  same  beareth  much 
fruit :  for  apart  from  me  ye  can  do  noth- 
ing." "In  an  appalling  metaphor  he 
declared,  ^Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you. 
Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of 
man  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  not 
life  in  yourselves.  He  that  eateth  my 
flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood  hath  eter- 
nal life ;  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the 
last  day.  For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed, 
and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed.  He  that 
eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood 
abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him.' " 

Herein  is  set  forth  the  mystical 
union  of  Christ  and  the  redeemed  soul. 
[And  it  is  in  him,  in  this  union,  that  the 
believer  lives  his  life  of  devotion  to  the 
Father.  When  Jesus  took  on  our  hu- 
manity this  union  became  a  fact  and  a 
potency.  "And  thus  now,  as  at  all  time, 
mankind  are,  so  to  speak,  organically 
united  with  him.  His  acts  are  in  a  true 
sense  our  acts,  so  far  as  we  realize  the 
union." 

94 


U8e  SDebotfonal  mtt 


As  Jesus  is  the  mediator  in  redemp- 
tion, so  he  is  the  mediator  in  the  life 
after  redemption.  As  in  his  own  na- 
ture he  unites  man  with  God,  so  in  his 
office  he  unites  mankind  with  God ;  and 
he  takes  our  lives  just  as  they  are  and 
binds  them  up  with  his  own ;  and  in  the 
glory  of  his  own  righteousness  makes 
us  one  with  the  Father,  as  he  is  one 
with  him.  Thus  we  are  made  "partak- 
ers of  the  divine  nature,"  of  the  Fath- 
er's life  and  blessedness. 

This  fact  of  the  life  in  Christ  rests 
upon  a  theological  and  an  evangelical 
basis.  In  the  epistles  of  Paul  written 
from  his  Roman  imprisonment,  we  are 
taught  that  in  Christ  is  the  truth,  the 
fullness  of  the  Godhead  and  all  full- 
ness, and  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom 
and  knowledge.  He  is  the  one  in  whom, 
by  whom,  and  for  whom  all  things  con- 
sist, even  the  creation.  And  in  him 
God  purposes  every  good  for  man.  He 
is  declared  to  be  the  head  of  the  church, 
its  corner-stone  and  bridegroom.  In 
him  we  are  justified  and  rooted  and 

95 


ConHttct 


possessed  of  freedom.  In  him  we  hope 
and  believe  and  walk  and  have  ability 
to  do  all  things.  With  him  we  are  cru- 
cified ;  and  with  him  we  are  raised  from 
the  death  of  sin.  In  him  all  things  are 
to  be  summed  up  and  man  is  to  be  per- 
fected. Thus  he  is  the  all  and  in  all,  in 
whom  "we  live  and  move  and  have  our 
being." 

For  this  life  we  are  enjoined  to  be 
filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit.  "His  spe- 
cial sphere  is  the  human  spirit.  His 
indwelling  already  works  a  new  life, 
answering  to  the  life  of  the  risen 
Christ.  This  life  of  the  spirit  in  man 
is  preeminently  a  life  of  sonship  to- 
wards God ;  those  who  follow  it  possess 
the  privilege  of  sons  in  the  divine  fam- 
ily.'' He  identifies  himself  with  the 
human  spirit  in  its  struggle  away  from 
earth  toward  God ;  and  he  will  continue 
his  work  in  the  soul  until  he  has  per- 
fected the  nature  which  the  son  of  God 
redeemed.  He  is  the  vital  energy  in  the 
new  birth.  In  the  kingdom  he  per- 
forms the  offices  of  grace  and  love,  in- 

96 


^it  SDthoiioml  JLiU 


asmuch  as  man  is  not  competent  in 
himself  for  all  of  the  conduct  of  the 
kingdom.  He  is  the  spirit  of  truth; 
and  he  is  come  to  teach  us  all  things  in 
our  ignorance,  to  stir  our  memories 
when  they  are  dull  and  sluggish  and 
forget  the  things  concerning  the 
Christ ;  and  at  the  parting  of  the  ways, 
when  in  doubt  and  short-sightedness, 
and  even  conscience  fails  us,  "howbeit 
when  he,  the  spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he 
shall  guide  you  into  all  the  truth.'' 

Even  this  is  not  enough.  We  need 
one  to  interpret  to  us  the  Ideal,  one  who 
is  fully  and  intimately  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Ideal,  and  profoundly 
appreciates  him.  "But  when  the  Para- 
clete is  come,  whom  I  will  send  unto 
you  from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of 
truth,  which  proceedeth  from  the  Fath- 
er, he  shall  bear  witness  of  me."  "He 
shall  glorify  me:  for  he  shall  take  of 
mine,  and  shall  declare  it  unto  you." 

He  also  quickens  us  for  service.  For 
the  Christian  worker  Pentecost  has  the 
'deepest  significance,  and  furnishes  an 

7  97 


Conduct 


unfailing  method.  The  command  is  to 
tarry  until  one  is  endued  with  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Thus  is  made  possible  our  imi- 
tation of  Christ,  which  is  ^^the  middle 
point  of  Christian  ethics."  ^The  king- 
dom of  God,"  said  Doctor  Martensen, 
"as  the  highest  good  finds  its  central 
realization  in  the  imitation  of  Christ." 
The  growth  and  development  of  the 
kingdom  have  been  by  the  acts  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  in  human  lives  imitating 
Jesus,  the  Christ,  in  the  successive 
stages  of  the  ethical  and  spiritual  evo- 
lution of  the  kingdom. 


98 


delation  to  tit  SDetJotional  JLite 


XIII 

Cbe  Eelation  of  ConDuct  to  tge 
Devotional  Life 

In  the  kingdom  of  God  conduct  is  the 
devotional  life,  whether  in  the  volun- 
tary direction  of  the  life  to  appropriate 
ends  in  the  good,  or  in  the  voluntary 
direction  of  the  life  immediately  to 
God  for  the  purpose  of  spiritual  com- 
munion. The  life  is  one,  and  the  whole 
of  it  is  sacred.  The  person  w^ho  labors 
also  prays  and  worships;  and  all  the 
conduct  of  the  household  of  God  is  per- 
formed unto  the  Lord. 

Here  the  life  is  essentially  spiritual ; 
even  the  body  is  sanctified  of  God.  "I 
beseech  you  therefore,  brethren,  by  the 
mercies  of  God,"  says  Paul,  "to  present 
your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  which  is  your  rational 
service.'^  The  labor  that  is  performed 
with    the    high    purpose    of    physical 

99 


Contiuct 


health  and  sustenance,  the  service  ren- 
dered for  the  good  of  another,  and  the 
worship  of  God  in  all  the  means  of 
grace,  are  of  the  one  spiritual  life  in 
Christ.  The  same  inference  is  to  be 
drawn  from  the  surrendered  life.  In 
our  covenant  with  God  we  dedicate  to 
him  all  that  we  have,  all  that  we  are, 
all  that  we  do, — all  of  our  abilities  and 
possibilities.  This  includes  the  body, 
with  all  of  its  several  parts ;  the  mind, 
with  all  of  its  functions ;  the  soul,  with 
all  of  its  aspirations.  They  are  all  of 
God,  and  for  him  they  are  to  be  em- 
ployed. Their  rational  employment  in 
such  voluntary  surrender  to  God  is  con- 
duct ;  and  it  is  devotion. 

Again,  conduct  stands  to  the  devo- 
tional life  in  the  relation  of  cause  and 
effect.  It  is  granted  that  conduct  is  an 
effect  of  the  devotional  life.  The  life 
devoted  to  God  is  a  veritable  storehouse 
of  vital  energy.  It  is  a  spiritual 
dynamic,  an  inherent  and  efficient 
force  that  blesses  the  individual  pos- 
sessor, and  others,  by  the  sweet  influ- 

100 


leuiatton  to  tit  aPebotlonar  %iU 

ences  from  its  own  holy  being,  and 
through  the  ministries  of  love  and 
truth.  But  whence  comes  this  power? 
The  quality  and  intensity  of  the  devo- 
tional life  are  as  our  Christian  charac- 
ter. And  back  of  growth  and  character 
is  conduct.  We  grow  by  what  we  do 
rationally  and  responsibly.  The  char- 
acter develops  by  the  good  we  will  and 
do.  Now,  this  is  conduct,  doing  the 
good  by  direction  of  the  good  will. 

In  regeneration  we  take  on  the  new 
humanity  in  Christ.  This  is  the  life; 
but  whence  the  abundant  life?  The 
"new  creature"  in  Christ  grows  and  de- 
velops in  the  same  way  that  a  child 
reaches  maturity.  Its  entire  being 
finally  arrives  at  mature  life  after 
years  given  to  healthful  exercise  of 
body,  mind,  and  spirit.  The  abundant 
life  begins  when  all  of  our  powers  are 
rationally  exercised  to  realize  the  best 
life  in  Christ.  In  this  way  character 
takes  root,  and  by  all  spiritual  and 
rational  conduct  develops  into  com- 
plete    being.      Character,     in     turn, 

101 


Contiuct 


becomes  an  ever-growing  and  ever- 
renewing  fountain  of  life,  a  new  cause 
of  conduct,  and  of  better  conduct  con- 
tinuously. And  thus  they  serve  as 
alternating  cause  and  effect  in  the  evo- 
lution of  life. 

The  devotional  life  is  an  effect  of 
both  conduct  and  character.  The  pri- 
mary effect  of  conduct  is  capacity;  of 
character,  it  is  quality.  God  demands 
both  for  the  devotional  life.  He  de- 
mands as  large  service  and  as  good 
service  as  is  possible  to  the  life  growing 
into  larger  capacity  for  vital  energy 
and  into  greater  beauty  of  holiness. 
And  so  the  process  sweeps  on.  Con- 
duct begets  character,  and  character, 
conduct;  and  both  are  the  devotional 
life,  and  issue  again  in  the  larger  devo- 
tional life,  which,  in  turn,  becomes  a 
new  and  potent  cause  in  conduct.  This 
is  the  abundant  life,  and  the  best  life. 


102 


final  dfllatd 


XIV 
JFinal  saotD 

Life  is  fraught  with  dangers  and 
crises.  With  all  the  ideality  of  Christian 
ethics  account  must  still  be  taken  of 
sin  and  its  consequences  in  crime  and 
misery.  "I  find,  then,  the  law,  that,  to 
me  who  would  do  good,  evil  is  present." 
Again,  Paul  says,  "O  wretched  man 
that  I  am !  who  shall  deliver  me  out  of 
the  body  of  this  death?"  Each  one  for 
himself  needs  take  stock  of  life  to  as- 
certain his  credits  and  debits.  And 
conduct  needs  so  to  be  directed  as  more 
and  more  to  crowd  out  the  sin  that 
makes  the  soul  restive. 

And  yet  for  the  personal  life  we  need 
do  but  little  beside  giving  the  life  of 
service  to  God  complete  sway.  If  one's 
whole  conduct  is  given  to  the  life  of  de- 
votion in  the  ways  that  God  directs, 
then  surely  there  will  be  neither  time 

103 


Conduct 


nor  place  for  sin.  But  sin  is  in  the 
world ;  and,  in  the  absence  of  the  Lord, 
we  are  to  rise  and  smite  the  wrong. 
We  are  to  do  this  because  sin  is  de- 
structive of  life,  and  for  the  construc- 
tion of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Conduct 
employed  in  the  destruction  and  de- 
thronement of  vice  and  crime  and  mis- 
ery is  an  abounding  good ;  and,  as  such, 
makes  for  character  and  the  devotional 
life. 

If  sin  is  in  the  world,  and  in  our 
members  even,  we  need  not  despair ;  for 
we  are  not  under  necessity  to  commit 
sin.  And  Paul  tells  us,  ^'There  is  there- 
fore now  no  condemnation  to  them  that 
are  in  Christ  Jesus.  For  the  law  of  the 
Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  made  me 
free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death." 
But  what  shall  we  do  in  the  crises  of 
life?  In  these  crises  lie  the  greatest 
dangers  to  the  growing  life.  When  in 
the  solemnity  of  soul,  stilled  into  si- 
lence, we  come  face  to  face  with  life's 
momentous  questions,  upon  the  de- 
cision of  which  hang  life's  destiny  and 

104 


Jflnal  dfllotd 


hope,  what  shall  be  our  attitude?  Here 
decision  involves  character.  A  wrong 
decision  means  reversion  in  life  and  de- 
generation of  character.  Even  one 
wrong  choice  may  mean  eternal  ruin. 
'A  right  choice  means  a  nobler  life  and  a 
better  hope  of  a  blissful  destiny. 

Each  day  the  crises  present  them- 
selves, some  of  greater  moment  and 
§ome  of  less,  but  ever  and  anon  with  the 
same  solemn  consequences,  according 
as  we  decide.  And  if  any  ask,  "What 
is  the  need  of  the  life  of  intimate  and 
constant  intercourse  with  God  in 
Christ?"  let  them  pause  to  ponder  in 
the  presence  of  life's  crises. 

God  ordained  the  whole  life  of  the 
kingdom  with  its  ministries  and  devo- 
tions to  keep  us  so  near  to  him  as  to  be 
safe.  So  he  made  the  life  one,  every 
feature  in  harmony  and  relationship 
with  every  other  part,  and  all  working 
in  one  another  larger  capacity  and 
greater  beauty  for  the  greater  safety  of 
life.  For  the  same  reason  he  ordained 
that  the  life  should  be  in  Christ,  our 

103 


Conduct 


divine-human  brother,  in  whom  the  life 
was  supremely  and  perfectly  one,  and 
by  the  enduement  of  the  indwelling 
Holy  Spirit. 

"Wherefore,  my  beloved  brethren, 
be  ye  stedfast,  unmovable,  always 
abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  for- 
asmuch as  ye  know  that  your  labor  is 
not  vain  in  the  Lord." 


106 


of  (Em  Snnks. 


Each  designed  to  set  forth  in  a  plain 
and  practical  manner  the  cardinal  doctrines 
as  taught  in  the  Word  of  God. 

THE  LOVE  OF  GOD.    By  W.  M.  Bell,  D.D. 
THE  ATONEMENT.     By  Bishop  E.  B.  Kep- 

hart,  D.D.,  LL.D. 
HOLINESS.      By  Bishop  J.  S.  Mills,  D.D., 

Ph.D.,  LL.D. 
BAPTISM.     By  A.  W.  Drury,  D.D. 
REGENERATION.     By  S.  D.  Faust,  D.D. 
JUSTIFICATION.    By  Bishop  G.  M.  Math- 

ews  D.D 
THE  DIVINITYOF  OUR  LORD.     By  G.  A. 

Funkhouser,  D.D. 
REPENTANCE.     By  L.  Bookwalter,  D.D. 
THE  HOLY  TRINITY.      By  J.   P.   Landis, 

D.D.,  Ph.D. 
THE  WITNESS  OF  THE  SPIRIT.    By  Bishop 

N.  Castle,  D.D. 

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Uniform  in  size  with  the  Devotional 
Books. 


W.  R.  FUNK,  Agent.  DAYTON,  OHIO. 


A  NEW  EDITION. 


OEHING  AND  GIVING 

OR  THE 

Stewardship  of  Wealth. 
By  REV.  W.  M.  WEEXLEY.  D.D. 

Second  edition  with  an  introduction  by  Rev. 
J.  F.  Cowan,  D.D.,  Associate  Editor  of  the 
Christian  Endeavor  World. 

WORDS  OF  APPRECIATION. 

It  is  reasonable  and  scriptural,  and  it  puts  the 
question  upon  Christian  ground  and  keeps  it 
there. —  Washington  Gladden. 

It  is  written  in  a  clear,  forcible  style,  and  a 
wide  circulation  of  it  will  give  light  and  quicken- 
ing to  many  a  conscience,  and  hasten  the  coming 
of  the  kingdom  of  Qod.—BUhop  J.  S.  Mills. 

Elegant  red  cloth,  136  pages,  12mo,  75  cents. 

The  same  in  paper,  15  cents,  post-paid. 

Per  dozen,  prepaid,  $1.50. 

This  is  the  opportunity  for  the  pastor  and 
presiding  elder  to  distribute  these  books  at  small 
cost.     Send  in  your  orders. 


United  Brethren  Publishing  House, 

W.  R.  FUNK,  Agent.  DAYTON.  OHIO. 


DATE  DUE 

30^''"'^ 

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CAYLORD 

fHINTCDINUS.A. 

BX9878.5.S73 

Conduct :  its  relation  to  the  devotional 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


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